Toshiro
by Contradiction21
Summary: He was taught that to survive you had to be cruel, cunning, and distrustful. But in an odd pack he starts to realize that he's found the one thing he's never had, and was taught that he didn't deserve; a family.
1. Escape

**I am an avid Inuyasha lover, and this is my second work. Don't worry there's more to come! I hope you like it!**

 **I, of course, do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characaters besides my own OCs.**

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 **ONE**

He was panting. The sweat that poured down his face instantly clung and cooled to his tattered shirt. He'd been running for what felt like an eternity, but was actually only a few hours. The cold soil no longer stung his bare feet as he ran; he could barely feel them anymore. He knew that there were little splinters of wood rooted under his claws there, he knew that his toes were probably still bleeding, but he didn't care. It didn't matter. _He_ didn't matter.

' _Worthless hanyou.'_

' _Disgusting little puppy.'_

' _Abomination.'_

The words cut deeper than the gashes that graced his arms and legs. Sharper than the two missing claws on his left hand. Hurt worse than the hours of torture he'd endured for being something he had no control over.

He broke through the trees and collapsed atop a hill that looked out over a small village. The moon shone off of the water filled fields that overflowed with rice. He could smell the fires that emanated from the little huts that were dotted about. He could hear other kids running through the village with a sense of ease he'd never known. And before everything went dark, he could vaguely see a crimson clad figure adorning the roof of one of the huts in the distance.


	2. Chance Encounters

**TWO**

"But why can't I have pocky for breakfast?" The kitsune whined again as Higurashi Kagome handed him his bowl of soup.

Kagome sighed. "We've been over this, Shippou. Pocky isn't breakfast food and-"

"And ya don't need anymore damned sweets." The irritated hanyou cut in from across the room. "It's already all going to your fat head."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome chided.

Sango, the youkai slayer, shook her head disapprovingly from her place beside her husband.

"What? The little brat needs to know when no means no! You spoil him Kagome."

"I do not!" Kagome snapped back.

"You _so_ do." Inuyasha scoffed with a roll of his golden eyes.

"You do. . . a little." Miroku spoke up with a sheepish smirk, quickly shutting his mouth when the miko shot him a seething glare.

"See? Even the pervert knows it." The hanyou said. "If it'd been up to you we would have had to roll the kit around while we hunted down the rest of the Shikon no kakera."

"I'm not fat! And I'm not spoiled!" The young kitsune in question cried out. He turned his back on the hanyou, his nose in the air defiantly and his little arms crossed angrily over his chest. "At least I'm not a complete _baka_ that acts like a jealous fool whenever Kouga comes around!"

Kagome heard Miroku try to muffle his laughter into his robe, and she knew that if she'd heard it so had the volatile half-youkai.

Heat flooded Inuyasha's face in what Kagome believed to be embarrassment, and before she could stop him Inuyasha had jumped the short distance across Sango and Miroku's hut and thumped Shippou on the head, _hard_.

Tears instantly welled in the child's eyes, his bottom lip trembled as he held the sore spot on his auburn head with both of his little hands.

" _Inuyasha no baka!_ " Shippou yelled as his tears spilled over. He ran out of the hut quickly, the sound of his crying left in his wake.

Inuyasha looked from the swinging curtain that acted as a door, to the three sets of eyes that looked at him in varying degrees of exasperation from around the room.

"What?" He grouched defensively. "The runt was asking for it!"

Kagome swatted his arm, rolling her eyes as she stood from her place beside him.

"Oi! What the hell was that for?"

Kagome ignored his question, but said over her shoulder instead, "Sometimes you really are clueless." Before she shot out of the hut in search of the weeping little youkai.

 **0:0:0:0:0:** .

Shippou was nowhere to be found. She'd checked through the village, she'd asked the local children if they'd seen her youkai companion, she'd even checked around Goshinboku but had come up with nothing each time.

Inuyasha was such an idiot. He didn't realize just how much his words had hurt the kitsune child. Shippou, though he'd never admit so, looked up to Inuyasha a lot. And though the irritating hanyou acted like more of a bullying older brother most of the time rather than the father figure she knew Shippou viewed him as, Kagome knew that Inuyasha's often careless words meant the most to the child.

' _It wouldn't be the first time that baka didn't realize what was staring him in the face.'_ Kagome thought with an inward sigh.

Her feelings for him were so obvious. Even after almost two years after their battle with the evil Naraku, and the final death of the miko Kikyou, Inuyasha still seemed like he could care less about her at times. She'd thought that after their battle with the nefarious hanyou was over, and after Inuyasha had time to grieve for Kikyou again, that he'd realize what was always there. That _she_ was always there for him, _she_ always cared and protected him in a different way than he her, _she_ was the one who loved him more than she did herself.

But instead they'd spent the last few years gathering the remaining Shikon no kakera. Inuyasha always seemed too preoccupied, too distracted most times with gathering the jewel shards to even take a moment to really talk with her. Nevermind realize how she felt. Even now, with the complete jewel dangling from a silver chain around her neck, the hanyou's only concern seemed to be figuring out a way to purify the damned thing.

She could never bring herself to tell him how she felt anyway. There was a good chance that he didn't feel the same. Kagome knew how deeply he loved Kikyou. She remembered how he'd wept and howled to the skies the night she died again in his arms. And although she wished more than anything that she could forget, she remembered the love that was so painstakingly obvious in their final kiss.

Kagome winced at the memory.

' _Stay focused, girl. Gotta find Shippou before he gets himself into trouble.'_

She'd been through Inuyasha's forest for close to an hour before she decided to try to get a better look from a familiar hill. Maybe if she looked down from the vantage point she could see Shippou's bright reddish-brown hair among the villagers.

Kagome stopped abruptly in her frustrated stride when she came from the cover of the trees and took in the small crumpled figure lying in the grass on the hill's peak. She took a hesitant step closer to see what happened to be a small child, not much older than Shippou by the looks of it.

She clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle her gasp of horror. The unconscious boy had dozens of long, deliberate cuts along his small arms and legs. Blood was caked on the side of his face that she could see, dried down his neck and disappearing into what couldn't even be considered a shirt. His hair was midnight black like her own, but matted and cut in a disarray; some strands reaching the middle of his back, while some barely reached his shoulders as if he were attacked by a scissor youkai. Atop his hair sat two small, black, drooping puppy ears. The overwhelming urge to rub his fuzzy ears was quelched immediately when she saw that the right little triangle was cut savagely along its edge. The appendage ended in a jagged zig-zag like pattern on one side. Kagome could tell that the wound was very old by the pale pink skin took the place of fur, instead of bright angry red like the rest of his wounds held.

"An inu hanyou. . ."

The boy's ears twitched at her whispered words though he did not wake.

She closed the distance between herself and the child, blinking back tears as she knelt by his side.

Who could have done this to the poor thing? Why would someone want to hurt a child so badly? She couldn't imagine what kind of heartless monsters were responsible. Up close she could see the dark circles under his eyes, as if he'd never had a good night's sleep. She could see his hollow cheeks and pronounced cheekbones as if he hadn't eaten in days, the black and blue bruises that mottled his flesh under the dried blood. At first glance the child appeared to be dead, but Kagome could still sense his weak youki. He was alive, but his spirit was battered and beaten almost beyond recognition. Kagome felt her heart breaking, and holding back a sob she placed a gentle hand on the little hanyou's back.

As soon as her hand touched the boy, his eyes snapped open. The intense hostility and fear she saw in his amber gaze broke her heart further. The hanyou jerked away from her touch, launching himself back across the small space of the hilltop and causing Kagome to fall onto her backside. He issued a low growl of warning, began to rise into a crouch as if he were ready to spring at her.

"H-hello." Kagome said lowly keeping her voice calm as to not frighten the child further. "Are you alright?"

The boy pulled his lips back in a snarl. "Don't touch me. Don't _ever_ touch me."

Kagome held up her hands in front of her in a placating display.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. Who did this to you?" She asked, feeling tears well up in her eyes at the deep anger she saw in his.

He ignored her question, choosing to growl at her again instead. He moved closer to her, stalked her. He looked angry enough to kill. Kagome scooted away from the prowling boy. She felt no fear, just an unending sadness. She'd never seen a boy so young carry so much hate in his heart, and though she knew that it wasn't at her directly it still hurt to see.

"I can help you. What's your name?" She tried again around the growing lump in her throat, hoping to distract the boy from his anger.

It didn't work.

He suddenly pounced at her with an angry cry, only to be caught in mid air by a flash of red that appeared from nowhere.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha barked down at the girl sitting in the grass.

He held the squirming little hanyou in the air with one hand by the scraps of his shirt.

"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed in relief. Maybe he could talk some sense into the child. "He's hurt. We need to take him to Kaede's."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" The child screeched, struggling against the larger hanyou's hold on him to no avail.

"What the fuck did you think you were doing, pup? Attacking Kagome like that?" Inuyasha growled at the child. "You'd be lucky if I don't gut you this second."

The child didn't back down, meeting Inuyasha's glower with one of his own. He bared his teeth at the older hanyou and swiped his little claws at Inuyasha, aiming for and missing his face.

"Oi! Watch it, you little cretin!" Inuyasha yelled as he shook the child in reprimand for his attempted attack.

Kagome quickly got to her feet and tried to take the boy from the seething baka. Inuyasha pulled the child higher into the air, out of Kagome's reach, and continued to joggle the little hanyou. "Stop that, Inuyasha! He's just a kid!"

"I'm not a kid!" The child said furiously, turning his angry glare on Kagome again and growling at her.

Inuyasha shook him harder. "Growl at her again pup, and you're gonna get the thumping of your life." He threatened dangerously.

"Inu _yasha_! Cut it out," Kagome said desperately. "I need to treat his wounds. We need to get to Kaede's!"

Both pairs of golden eyes turned to look at her in shock.

The older of the two spoke up first as the younger tried and failed again at trying to claw Inuyasha's face off.

"Are you stupid, wench? This little runt," Inuyasha shook the child again. "Just tried to kill you, and now you want to take him home?"

"He didn't mean it! I scared him!" She defended quickly, trying again to nab the little hanyou from her irritating best friend. Inuyasha moved him out of the way again, in the process moving her behind his back while he glared at the stewing child dangling from his clawed hand.

"I did mean it," The little half-youkai spit. "I knew what I was doing. And I'm _not_ scared of some stupid human!"

Kagome gasped at the vehement in his high voice. And for the second time that day she was too late at grabbing onto Inuyasha's arm before he struck a child.

The loud _thump_ on the little hanyou's head echoed off of the trees and Inuyasha dropped him roughly on the ground.

"Oww! What the hell, idiot!" The boy yelled as he rubbed the lump growing under his dirty hair.

Inuyasha moved so quickly Kagome didn't have a chance of stopping him before he hit the child on the head again.

 _Thump!_

"Watch your mouth, you little pest." Inuyasha growled lowly. "And if ya ever speak to Kagome like that again, you'll be getting more than a good thumping."

The boy glared daggers at the hanyou that towered over him, but wisely kept his mouth shut. Kagome shook her head at the violent display. She moved slowly around the irate older half-youkai to sit on her legs in front of the youth, ignoring Inuyasha's growl of warning.

She wasn't angry at the child for his mean words, or at the fact that he'd try to attack her; she just wanted to help him, to understand him.

"What happened to you?" She asked softly. "Where are you from?"

The little hanyou looked like he wanted to snap at her, but the low snarl and pointed stare from Inuyasha stayed his tongue. So instead he looked away and grumbled, "I'm fine. And it doesn't matter where I come from, just know I'm not going back."

Kagome nodded understandably. "I wouldn't want to go back to a place where I was hurt either."

"I'm not hurt! I said I'm fine, _human."_ The boy bit out, his amber eyes flashing with anger.

Inuyasha growled menacingly and took a step toward him, only to stop when Kagome glared at him quickly over her shoulder. He stopped with his infamous 'Keh' sound before he folded his arms into the sleeves of his haori and continued to watch the child closely.

"OK. . . Can I at least know your name?" Kagome asked patiently, willing the boy to look her in the eyes again.

"Why do you need to know my name?" He asked, his posture guarded and suspicious.

Kagome smiled sweetly at the boy. "Well you're so cute, I can't help but want to know your name. Plus it's polite to ask. My name is Kagome, and my baka friend here is Inuyasha."

The child snorted in a very Inuyasha-like fashion before muttering, "Tshro. . ."

"Come again?"

"He said his name is Toshiro, wench." Inuyasha said with a roll of his eyes, before directing his attention to the younger hanyou. "Ya' know, for someone named 'intelligent' that sure was stupid of you, to attack a powerful miko."

Toshiro turned and looked at Kagome skeptically. "You don't seem like much of a miko," he shook his head in blatantly doubt, what was left of his bangs dangling into his eyes as he said, "You don't even have a weapon. You sure she's a miko?"

Kagome heard Inuyasha snort at her side. She tuned him out, tuned everything out, as she focused the way Kaede trained her to and reached deep down for her power. She felt her miko's aura pop and pulse with energy around her, and eyes still closed, she heard Toshiro's low gasp as he sensed her power.

She opened her eyes, letting her aura die down with a small smile on her lips at the little hanyou's wide eyes.

"So if you're a miko. . . Why didn't you defend yourself when I attacked you? I would have killed you." Toshiro said bluntly.

Inuyasha growled dangerously at the child again, sparking trepidation in the little kid's eyes as he glanced nervously between the large hanyou and the miko who sat looking at him calmly.

"She wouldn't hurt a pup." Inuyasha said, his tone serious for once. "Even one stupid enough to try to attack her. If she wanted to she could have purified your ass in a second, pest. Don't forget that."

"I just don't understand why she didn't then. . ." Toshiro muttered, more to himself than to the two adults who looked on at him in puzzlement.

Did he expect to be beaten? Kagome thought it better to ask. She saw the way he sat with his arms wrapped around himself unconsciously, as if he were bracing himself for a strike that could come at any moment. Did this child suffer the same way Inuyasha did as a child? He sure did act like the hostile half-youkai Inuyasha used to be when they first met five years ago; angry, guarded, eyes and ears always moving anxiously and looking for signs of danger. Where were his parents? Was he orphaned? Kagome felt a fierce surge of protectiveness shoot through her. She felt a burning emotion swirl in her stomach. She clenched her hands tightly in her navy blue skirt. She felt fury at whoever or whatever would cause a little boy so much pain.

She shook her head to clear it before focusing back on the boy across from her who was still deep in thought.

She cleared her throat to bring his tawny gaze back to her. His face was stoic, but in his eyes Kagome could see the pain and the fear he was trying so hard to hide.

"Would you please come back to the village with me?" She asked him in her most persuasive voice.

Toshiro stiffened, his eyes taking on a cautious light. He shook his head in confusion as he asked, "Why?"

Kagome smiled sweetly.

"I want to help you. I promise that me nor my friend here," She gestured to the watching hanyou beside her. "Will touch you against your wishes. I can treat those wounds of yours. And get you cleaned up and fed, are you hungry?"

Toshiro nodded his head once slowly, his uncertainty clear as he glanced back and forth between Kagome and Inuyasha.

"Am I free to go. . . After I've eaten?" The little hanyou asked hesitantly, eyes wide as if he expected them to say he'd be held captive.

"You're not our prisoner, runt." Inuyasha said with a snort.

"But I'd hope you would want to stay with us," Kagome interjected quickly. "You would always be fed, and clothed and cleaned. You would be taken care of."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me." Toshiro said stubbornly.

"Yeah, well we could use your help too." Inuyasha spoke up to Kagome's surprise. "We're youkai exterminators in a sense, we get requests to help villages and we often attract a lot of bad attention along the way because Kagome here protects the Shikon no Tama. You obviously can put up a fight, pup and it blows sometime being the only one actually capable of kicking some ass in our pack." The larger hanyou smirked down at the girl glowering at him. "So you wouldn't be getting coddled, you could earn your keep by helping us keep the baddies away."

Toshiro looked intrigued despite himself. Kagome was astonished at Inuyasha's offer. She glanced up at the hanyou, and saw the same anger she felt echoed dimly in his golden eyes. Sure, he was angry that Toshiro had attacked her, but she could tell he was more angry that the little boy had obviously been treated similarly to how he had been when he was young.

"Pack?" The boy mimicked a second later, as if Inuyasha's words had just sunk in. "There are more of you?"

"Yes, we travel with a kitsune a little younger than you, a monk, and a youkai slayer." Kagome said.

She saw recognition flicker in Toshiro's eyes.

"Shikon no Tama. . .You're _that_ miko?" He asked incredulously. "The incarnate of the miko Kikyou? The one who killed Nuraku?"

Kagome felt her cheeks pink at Toshiro's slightly impressed expression. "Yep, that's me. Though I couldn't have done it without my friends."

"And you're a brother of the fang, right?" He asked Inuyasha, gazing at him with a respect that wasn't there a second ago.

"You're damn right, I am. The better brother, too." Inuyasha grinned, his fangs gleaming in the early afternoon light.

"I heard you hacked the youkai of the Western Lands' arm clean off!" The little hanyou said, childlike excitement shining in his eyes for the first time since they'd met.

Kagome thought it strange that a child would get so excited about such a thing, but before she could wonder any more about it she heard Inuyasha boast proudly at her side.

"I sure as hell did!" He said as he set his clawed hand tenderly on Tetsusaiga. "The poor bastard didn't stand chance."

"Cool." Toshiro said dreamily, his body relaxing a bit.

Kagome rolled her eyes at Inuyasha's pride at maiming his brother, then turned back to watch the small hanyou who still looked up at Inuyasha as he recalled the story of how Sesshomaru lost his arm in their battle at their father's grave.

He'd moved to sit how Inuyasha often did, his knees apart and his small hands on the ground between them. He was completely enamoured by Inuyasha's tale, his fuzzy ears rotating in the direction of the older hanyou, showing that Inuyasha had his complete attention. She smiled a little to herself as she watched Toshiro's tension lesson a bit. He was just so cute, even matted with dirt and blood she cooed internally when his cheeks dimpled as he smirked at something Inuyasha said. She couldn't help herself as she reached a hand to the distracted young hanyou, intent on rubbing one of his cute little ears.

But right before she could grasp his left little appendage, his ears folded back to hide in his hair and his head snapped in her direction. His eyes became guarded again and a low snarl slipped between his now clenched teeth. She let out a low gasp, quickly retracting her hand back to her person as Toshiro glared at her dangerously.

"Dont. I told you not to touch me." He reminded her in a hard voice.

His gaze quickly went to the larger hanyou who had stopped his story, and was watching him warily as if he would try to attack Kagome again. Toshiro shook his head quickly, as if clearing his mind before he turned his tawny eyes back to the miko, all traces of the smiling child now gone from his face.

Inuyasha took a purposeful step forward, placing himself between the younger hanyou and Kagome. He cleared his throat loudly, claiming the boy's attention again as he folded his arms back into the expansive sleeves of his haori.

"So do you want to come with us or not, runt? You can stay out here and let whatever did that to you," He gestured to Toshiro's battered body. "come for you again, or you can come with us where you'd be looked after, and have a place to learn to fend for yourself."

Kagome watched from the gap between Inuyasha's legs as Toshiro weighed what the older hanyou had said carefully. The young hanyou's brows were furrowed as he considered his options for a few minutes, before he finally looked up to his senior, skepticism in his golden eyes.

He nodded slightly at Inuyasha before he rose slowly from the grass and said. "Alright. . .I'll come with you."

Inuyasha reached back for Kagome's arm to pull her up beside him as he still stared attentively at the hanyou who barely stood to his hip. Inuyasha then started making his way into the forest, Toshiro hesitantly walking beside him, and Kagome following behind the two.

"Fine, but there are gonna be some ground rules twerp." Inuyasha stated in a no nonsense tone as he walked, one of his ears turning behind him as if making sure Kagome was there. "Firstly, you will not under any circumstances raise a claw to Kagome. You do _one_ time, runt, and you're gone. You got that?"

Toshiro's eyes flicked back quickly to the miko in question, who in turn gave him a small smile. He didn't return it as he turned back to the older hanyou.

"Fine." He echoed.

"The same goes for the rest of our comrades, no matter how annoying Shippou gets or how much that perverted monk deserves it, don't do it. And secondly, if you're going to travel with us, and maybe even live with us you have to do your part. That means gathering firewood, and hunting, and above all else protecting our pack."

Kagome smiled at the two, taking in the way both of their shoulders were set back proudly as they moved, the stubborn set to both of their jaws. She felt such pride at Inuyasha's acceptance of the boy, and she wondered again if it was because Toshiro reminded him of himself.

"Tch. I know that." She heard Toshiro say irritably to the older hanyou, who let out a, "Keh. And don't forget it, pest." in response.

Kagome's smile widened, they were more alike than she was sure either of them would ever admit. She wondered how the rest of their friend's would respond when they came home with Toshiro. And she wondered if given time, would he learn to let his guard down, and to trust them.


	3. Pucky

**Three**

Toshiro followed the large hanyou called Inuyasha into the small village he'd seen from the hill the night before, the miko at their heels. He felt his stomach turn in knots as they walked through the busy village, wary of every person they passed. He took in the way the humans all greeted the miko and Inuyasha with smiles and warm greetings, and he resisted the urge to shrink into a ball when they would pass curious glances his way. Humans were cruel creatures, ones who despised those different from them and wouldn't have a second thought about killing a hanyou. . . at least, that's what _she_ had always told him.

He shook his head quickly of the thoughts, it would do no good to think of her now. At the moment the young hanyou had to focus on not growling or baring his fangs at the many humans who kept looking his way. They made him nervous, made him feel surrounded.

"Relax, pup." A husky voice said.

Looking up he saw that it was the older hanyou who had spoken to him, his voice was soft and reassuring though he looked straight ahead and his face held no emotion.

Toshiro felt his body relax of it's own accord at Inuyasha's words, and the little hanyou wondered what it was about the older that made him feel so safe. Maybe it was the fact that he'd never met another of his kind, or that Inuyasha seemed to exude a quiet strength he had only seen once before. Whatever it was, it irritated him. He was taught that to survive he had to be cautious of others, hanyou and youkai and human alike. He had to be vigilant, merciless, and distrustful. Yet here he was, following this hanyou and his miko into unknown territory.

Katsumi would not be pleased.

He was brought from his thoughts when they approached a hut, one slightly larger than the ones he'd seen on their trek through the village. The miko, now ahead of them, pushed aside the dividing curtain and walked into the hut. Chatter could be heard through the opening and the smell of something that made his stomach growl furiously, but still he hesitated as he neared the door. He glanced over his shoulder and internally debated if he should just tuck tail and run, but Inuyasha's voice stopped him.

"Don't even think about it, pest." The larger hanyou said, looking down at the smaller with a black eyebrow raised daringly. "We had a deal remember? Don't chicken out on me."

Toshiro bristled, he hated being accused of being afraid. It pissed him off even more so when it was true. He growled at the much taller half-youkai.

"I'm not chickening out on anything." He bit out with a bravado he truly didn't feel. "What do I have to be afraid of from a bunch of stupid humans anyway."

Inuyasha snorted in response, grabbing the pup by the scraps of his shirt and shoving him into the hut as he said, "Then get the hell in there tough guy."

Toshiro stumbled into the warm space, throwing a seething glare over his shoulder at Inuyasha as all of the chatter in the hut ceased. He turned slowly to face the people gawking at him from around the room, being careful to push down his rising fear and nervousness as he looked each of them in the eyes. His alert gaze immediately found the miko, Kagome who was sitting next to a pretty human woman with long brown hair, and a soft smile. Beside the human woman was a human man, one dressed in dark monk robes with a small smirk on his face and a curious glint in his eyes. Next was a very old human woman, she had a patch covering one eye and grey hair. Taking a sniff at her, Toshiro could tell that she too was a miko, though not one as strong as Kagome. Lastly, there was the kitsune who lay next to the old woman on his belly. He had been writing on a piece of paper with strange colored utensils until Toshiro walked in. Now he stared at him in interest, his auburn head tipping to one side inquisitively. They all sat around a fire pit in a loose circle, bowls of something delicious smelling in some of their hands.

Inuyasha walked into the hut and moved to sit against a wall near Kagome as Toshiro sniffed at the enticing food coming from the pot on the fire. His tummy let out an angry growl at the mouthwatering aroma.

Kagome was the first to speak into the loaded silence.

"Toshiro, I'd like you to meet Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Shippou." She said with a smile, gesturing to each of her companions.

They let out a chorus of greetings to him and he flushed slightly and murmured an uncomfortable, "Hello." In response.

"We were just having lunch, young one." Spoke the old woman. "Would ye like some stew? Sango is quite the cook." She said warmly.

Despite the rumbling in his stomach, the little hanyou shook his head and said a quiet, "No, thank you." Before making his way over to the older hayou and sitting beside him in the same fashion, legs and arms crossed, back against the wall where he had clear view of everyone in the room and the door. He instantly relaxed a little with his proximity to the other half-youkai.

Everyone watched his movements, and for some reason looked shocked to see him chose to sit next to Inuyasha. Toshiro wished that they'd stop staring, it took everything in him not to growl at them to turn around and mind their own business. The older hanyou let out a grumbled, "Keh." at their surprised expressions.

Kagome began to make two large bowls of stew, handing one off to the kitsune with a knowing smirk. Together the miko and the kit approached the hanyou duo, Kagome handing the larger bowl to Inuyasha with a light blush before returning to her seat, and the kitsune stopping in front of Toshiro with a nervous smile on his face as he held out the bowl in offering.

"When I eat all of my food, Kagome gives me pocky." Shippou whispered to the little hanyou conspiritally. "Maybe if you eat all of yours, she'll give you a box too."

Toshiro's face screwed up in confusion at the other child's words, but still he took the bowl and chopsticks and began slurping gratefully at the hearty stew as the kitsune plopped down on his other side.

"My favorite kind is strawberry pocky."

"What's pucky?" Toshiro grumbled around a mouthful of noodles.

" _Pocky._ " Shippou corrected with a small laugh. "They're a really yummy treat Kagome brings back from her time, there are all kinds of flavors. There's chocolate, and banana, and blueberry, and vanilla. But she only lets me have them when I'm good, if I misbehave I can't have any sweets and. . ."

He went on as if Toshiro had the slightest clue what he was talking about. But instead of responding to the strange kitsune, Toshiro continued to devour the rest of his food and listened intently to the other boy tell him about all kinds of treats Kagome and the others gave him, unaware of the adults around the hut watching them with small smiles on their faces.


	4. Uncertainty And Curiousity

**I'm sorry for the wait. Thank you for all of the reviews, reads, and patience. I hope you guys continue to enjoy my story, and I hope you guys enjoy taking the journey ahead with our little Toshiro :)**

* * *

 **FOUR**

The hanyou made sure his expression was one of boredom and indifference, while his ears listened intently to the idle chatter between the two children beside him. He was sure that the kit was talking the dark haired little hanyou's head off, and he caught himself before he growled at the kitsune to lay off and let the newbie adjust to his new surroundings. Inuyasha couldn't figure out what the hell it was about the runt, Toshiro, that seemed to make him so attentive. It was stupid honestly, he had no reason to be so attached to the pup so quickly, especially given the fact that the pest had tried to attack his miko. But still he noticed whenever the pup shifted slightly in discomfort, and he found himself hoping that the fear would lessen in the boy's scent and that the others would treat him kindly. Maybe it was how bad the pup was beaten, maybe he saw himself in the pest, or maybe it was just because Kagome wanted to care for him, so he'd automatically found himself becoming attuned with the young hanyou.

He flicked his golden gaze to the girl who sat surrounded by their friends, a smile on her beautiful face and her warm brown eyes sparkling as she talked with the youkai slayer. Inuyasha fought down the familiar pang of longing that gripped him whenever he looked at the human of his affections, telling himself once again that it was for her own good that he kept his feelings to himself; it would only hurt them both should he tell her that he loved her, only for her to be whisked away back to her time once they'd found a way to purify that damned jewel.

He sighed lowly, his ears drooping a bit at the depressing thought. He couldn't imagine a world in which Kagome was not by his side. He'd spent so many years denying his feelings. It scared him at first honesty, surely someone like him didn't deserve someone so pure, so unbelievably good. Who was he, a lowly half breed, to lay claim to such a perfect creature. But the complete and utter contentment he felt when she was near just felt so _right_. She filled the hole in his chest caused by his mother's death and Kikyou's supposed betrayal and eventual demise, instead filling him with warmth and a consuming love that he'd never experienced before. There was no way he could deny his feelings anymore, his youkai blood agreed with him on this one thing and this one thing alone. She belonged with _him_ , she was his mate, and anyone or anything who tried to take her away from him would be introduced to his Tetsusaiga, Kami be damned.

 _Mine._

There _had_ to be a way to purify the jewel and stay with her. He knew that if he had to chose between the forest he called his home with no Kagome, and the strange, loud world where she came from with Kagome that he would undoubtedly chose the latter. As long as he was with her he didn't care where they were, much less _when._ But until they purifed the Shikon no Tama there was no telling what would happen, and though the hanyou didn't fear much he did fear the unknown. Until he was sure that she wouldn't be taken away from him, he had to control himself. He couldn't let himself hope. So he fought back his feelings the only way he knew how, being an ass to her and pushing her away.

 _I wouldn't be surprised if the wench hated me by now._ He thought sullenly, his ears drooping even lower.

"Inuyasha, are you alright?"

He then noticed that he was still staring at Kagome, her brow creased in concern. His face pinked as he turned his head in the opposite direction of the girl, eyes closed and chin jutted out proudly.

"I'm fine, wench. Why the hell are you staring?"

"You're the one who was staring, baka."

"N-no I wasn't!" His face turned a darker shade of red. "Ain't like there's much for me to stare at anyway."

He heard her low intake of breath and immediately regretted his words. Kagome's cheeks burst into an angry red and she stood from her spot, yelling a righteous, "Sit, boy!" before she stomped out of the hut.

Inuyasha smacked into the packed floor, a low growl emanating from his clenched teeth as he fought against the subjugation spell. "Oi! Don't you walk out, get back here!" He yelled after the girl, managing to rise onto his elbows though the damned necklace he wore still weighed him down. A low chuckle sounded across the room, and Inuyasha turned his glare on the monk who was failing miserably at hiding his smirk.

"You sure have a funny way of showing affection, my friend." Miroku said, causing Kaede and Sango to giggle along with him.

"Shut the hell up, Monk." Inuyasha growled, finally pulling himself up from the ground and following Kagome out of the hut with a huff.

He was so focused on hunting down Kagome, that he didn't spare a second thought about the confused half-youkai he left in the hut with his friends.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

Toshiro's head tilted to one side curiously as he looked after the two who'd stormed out of the warm hut. What the hell was that? Why'd Inuyasha growl at him for speaking to the miko crasly, and then insult her himself? Then he crashed to the ground at her command? Toshiro was raised by inu-youkai, and though it was at arm's length he knew that that wasn't the way one was supposed to go about courting a female. The other humans around the room were still snickering amongst themselves as if the altercation were completely normal, then the kitsune spoke up beside him in an annoyed voice.

"He's so dense."

"Does he always speak to his mate that way?" Toshiro asked carefully, blushing slightly under his black and blue spotted face when the others turned their amused eyes on him.

"They are not mates," Miroku corrected kindly. "Though I'm sure they would be if Inuyasha were not so stubborn."

Toshiro knew that they were not _officially_ mated, he could smell it on them, but there was no mistaking the possessive way he'd seen the older hanyou behave toward the miko. He didn't say as much though, contenting himself with listening to the strange assortment of people that sat around him.

"Tis' not Inuyasha's fault, he does not know how to express emotion well." The old miko said, the skin around her exposed eye crinkling as she smiled.

The monk snorted. "He knows how to express anger quite well."

"And jealousy." Shippou said with a small laugh, the others joining in.

What reason would he have to be jealous? Was there another who was after his miko? Toshiro had planned on staying silent, he much prefered to observe his strange new companions than to speak among them and he wasn't nearly as comfortable around these people without Inuyasha, but his curiosity ultimately got the better of him.

"Is his miko seeing someone else, then?" He asked Shippou seriously, deeming the young kitsune the easiest to talk to as he was the least of a threat should Inuyasha's pack attack him.

For some reason he didn't like the idea that Kagome would mate someone else, it was obvious she belonged to Inuyasha. Why he cared at all though, he didn't know.

"There's a youkai by the name of Kouga who seeks Kagome's hand. Have you ever heard of him, Toshiro? He's a wolf clan leader."

It was the slayer who spoke up. Toshiro turned his tawny eyes warily to the human girl, not at all swayed by her pretty face. He knew well what youkai slayers were capable of, and her soft brown eyes did little to make him forget.

"No. The wolves reside in the east." He said without further explanation.

"And where are you from, my young friend?" Miroku pressed, a hand going to rest on the small of the slayer's back.

Monks were just as dangerous as mikos. He'd only heard of their spiritual powers, but he knew that they could end a youkai's life just as easily as a slayer if not more so. But Inuyasha trusted them, and he was now apparently tasked with their protection. Surely it wouldn't hurt to think of them as people rather than possible enemies, right? Would it really hurt anything if they knew? He immediately retracted the last thought, of course it would hurt. Katsumi would not hesitate to punish him if she found out, and probably kill Inuyasha and his pack if he told these strangers of her and the others' where abouts. Powerful as they this rag tag group of people may be, they would be no match for her. Katsumi made the fabled Nuraku look like an ant youkai in comparison. So he wiped all expression from his face and gave a short, clipped answer.

"The South."

"We're traveled in the south quite a bit, any particular area?" The slayer said with a smile.

"Not one you'd know of." Toshiro glared at the baboo curtain, wondering where Inuyasha had run off to and wishing he'd come back so his pack would leave him be.

They seemed to understand his reluctance to speak and thankfully backed off, all of course but the kitsune still sitting next to him who continued on as if he hadn't even noticed Toshiro's tone.

"Kagome doesn't like Kouga or anything." He assured the hanyou. "He always tries to hold her hands and stuff when we run into him, and never listens when Kagome says she isn't interested. The way Inuyasha reacts is so funny."

"Why doesn't Inuyasha just kill him?" Toshiro blinked at him.

The rest of the group seemed to stiffen at Toshiro's bluntness, but his question rolled off of Shippou's back like water. He seemed perfectly at ease talking with the half-youkai. Toshiro idly wondered why the kitsune let his guard down so easily around someone he barely knew.

"Kagome won't let him. You've seen what that necklace around his neck can do." He chuckled before saying, "As persistent as Kouga is, she doesn't want him getting hurt. She's way too nice."

Nice enough to allow another youkai to challenge Inuyasha's claim? In inu-youkai culture the female is always submissive to the male, and any who tries to challenge the male for his mate would be killed without question. But Inuyasha's miko had power over him, and he allowed it? Toshiro wondered whether this was custom for inu-hanyou, or if Inuyasha and the miko were just weird. He figured it was the latter, as he was taught that hanyou did not have mates to begin with. Shippou seemed to see the questions burning in Toshiro's eyes and continued talking as if the pair of them were old friends.

"Kagome is the best. She took me in five years ago when I was orphaned, and has been like a mom to me ever since."

Toshiro's eyes widened slightly. A miko who adopted a youkai? This girl just got stranger and stranger it seemed. He had to admit though that he was kind of impressed, from what he was taught humans -mikos and monks especially- hated youkai. Their soul purposes were to kill them, but this group who'd found him apparently didn't think that way. If the kitsune had been raised by these people surely they couldn't be all that terrible.

"Don't you ever want to be around your own kind?" He asked the kit cautiously.

Shippou shrugged in response. "Kagome is my mother, Inuyasha is like my father though I'd never admit to him that I see him that way. Sango, Miroku, and Kaede have taught me and cared for me and protected me. They've never cared that I was different, and I've never cared that they were. This pack is my family."

The kitsune beamed at the smiling adults across the room, not one ounce of hesitation or doubt in his voice during his small speech. Toshiro's eyes wandered around the cozy hut, taking in their comfortability with one another with a furrowed brow. The kit then fell into easy conversation with the others, leaving Toshiro to ponder over all Shippou had said. He crossed his arms over his battered chest, ears unconsciously flicking as he lost himself in thought.

 _Family. . . Is this what one looks like?_


	5. Nosey Little Brat

**I'm sorry for the long wait. I've been caught up with school, but I promise I haven't forgotten about this story. I hope you guys like this chapter.**

 **Five**

The wind blew through the trees, the lingering scent of tears in the air causing the hanyou sulking in the God Tree to whine. He looked over the snowy planes toward the empty Bone Eaters Well, trying with all of his might to will Kagome back through it. He could always go after her and apologize, if only his pride would allow it. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings, he never did, it was just that if that lecherous monk and annoying kit knew how he felt they'd never let him live it down. He wasn't ready to face his feelings, and he definitely wasn't ready for that kind of teasing. He was sure Kagome would 'sit' him to Hell if he killed the two.

Another whine slipped between his lips as his ears folded back against his head. He missed her. He missed her, and it was his fault that she was always running away from him. It was his fault that she was always so upset. He was supposed to protect her, not send her crying back to her time. Whenever she went through the well Inuyasha felt like the branches of Goshinboku in the mid of winter, cold and bare. Over the years every time she left him and went back to the noisy world she came from it was like a hole opened up in his chest, no matter if he knew she'd return or not the fear and panic that he felt at her absence left him almost crippled in depression.

"Kagome . . ."

"What are you doing?"

With a yelp Inuyasha fell from his high perch, landing on his back in the cold snow with a thud. He'd been so caught up in thoughts of Kagome that he hadn't even scented the other hanyou's approach. He growled menacingly up into the large golden eyes that stared down at him in confusion.

"What're you tryna' do, give me a heart attack?!" He snapped as he pulled himself up on his elbows, shaking snow out of his ears.

"It's not my fault you weren't paying attention." Toshiro huffed, crossing his arms over the tattered cloth that covered his chest.

"Shut up, you pest."

Inuyasha pulled himself to his feet and stomped his way back toward the village, trying to ignore the pup who followed closely at his heels.

"So what were you doing up there?"

"Minding my own damned business."

"Why'd you look all sad?"

Inuyasha flushed. "I-I wasn't sad about anything!"

He could almost hear the smirk in the younger half-youkai's voice as he said, "Well you sure looked sad to me."

"Do you _ever_ shut up?" Inuyasha growled as he moved a snow laden branch out of his way, purposely letting it go just as Toshiro passed under it.

He grinned evilly when he heard the little hanyou sputter and try to shake the freezing snow off as it fell on him.

"Hey! You did that on purpose!"

"Yeah, and?"

"You just don't want to tell me why you were sad."

"Jeez, you talk almost as much as the damned wench." Inuyasha grumbled.

"Where is your miko, anyway?"

He whirled around on the dirty young hanyou who only looked up at him in curiosity. His arms where still crossed loosely in front of him, his matted head was tilted to one side as he regarded his senior, his cut ear flicked the remaining snow off as he waited for Inuyasha to answer him.

"She's not _my_ miko. She's not my anything." Inuyasha blushed again. "Why the hell aren't you with the others anyway? Were you dipping out on us?"

He watched Toshiro turn pink under his bruises.

" _No!_ " He said, his round cheeks puffing a bit. "Your pack kept asking me questions, I had to get out of there before my ears exploded."

Inuyasha regarded the pup for a moment, then snorted as he turned in a different direction than the village, not looking back to see if Toshiro followed as he said, "So you decided to come and talk my damn ears off? Thanks, pest."

He heard the hanyou scoff quietly.

They traveled in silence for a while before the ever curious pup spoke up at Inuyasha's side.

"Where are we going?"

Inuyasha glanced down at the dirt and blood encrusted half-youkai, at the way the tatters of his shirt stuck to the cuts on his chest and arms, at the hakama he wore that Inuyasha assumed had been white at one point, and he grumbled, "Hot springs."

"Why?"

"Because you stink."

"I do not stink, you baka!"

"Kami, do you ever stop talking?!"

He heard the pup growl lowly and he rolled his eyes.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

When they reached the nearby hot spring Inuyasha was assaulted by memories of Kagome; this was the closest spring to the village, and since the wench insisted on bathing all the time he'd spent hours here over the years guarding her and trying not to peek at the miko as she splashed and talked his head off. He felt himself redden at the memories before he tried to shove thoughts of Kagome out of his mind.

He made his way to the water's edge before stripping off his haori and undershirt. He noted as he got undressed that Toshiro was beside him, peeling the scrap of a shirt out of his healing injuries with a wince. Inuyasha again felt the stabbing anger he had when he'd met the pup -after he'd gotten over the urge to kill him for attempting to attack Kagome. He'd met other hanyou over the years who were treated poorly -Shiori and Jinenji were still close friends of his- but never like this. As a pup he himself had been shunned, and ridiculed, and even beaten sometimes by particularly nasty villagers, but never . . . tortured.

His glower darkened as he watched Toshiro sink into the steaming water. Not only were his arms and chest battered, but his legs and back were covered in red gashes as well. His hands and feet looked huge against his skinny ankles and wrists. His ribs stood out hauntingly, two of his claws were missing and the ones that remained looked brittle and weak. Inuyasha laid his clothes on a nearby rock before he waded out into the water, sitting himself across from the pup who seemed lost in thought. They enjoyed the warmth in silence, Inuyasha washing the sweat and grime from his skin while Toshiro soaked his dirty hair before running his claws through it. It was a while before either of them spoke.

"Why did you bring me here. . . really?" Toshiro asked hesitantly.

Inuyasha threw an empathetic glance at the pup as he scrubbed at his arm pit. He understood all too well the fear and suspicion in Toshiro's eyes.

"Not everyone has ulterior motives, pest." He grumbled softly. "And it ain't a good idea to walk around smellin' like blood. Didn't anyone ever teach you that?"

He saw Toshiro shoot him a wary look before he submerged himself in the spring. His black hair floated along the water's surface like ink. Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at the childish evasion tactic, but he knew what the runt was trying to say, ' _Too personal, don't ask!'_ He wouldn't press too much, he knew that unless he was ready the pup wouldn't talk, and he was not about to push the pest.

When Toshiro came up for air his cheeks were flushed, the blood that had encrusted itself in his tan skin washed away. The black and blue bruises along his cheeks stood out startlingly against his golden honey colored eyes, a shade or two darker than Inuyasha's bright ones. His hair was plastered to his neck and back, his ears weighed down against his head from the water. When Inuyasha looked briefly to his right ear he felt a sharp pang of puzzlement and fury; it wasn't common for a hanyou to scar. For Toshiro to have that prominent, zig-zag like wound most likely meant that whoever or whatever had done it, had cut away a part of his ear over and over until the nerves there could no longer heal. Inuyasha had a sudden, overwhelming urge to sharpen his claws on something. Only when Toshiro spoke up again did he unclench his teeth.

"Where did the miko go?" Toshiro asked in a small voice.

Inuyasha leaned back against a smooth rock, crossing his arms comfortably over his chest. "Back to her home. She's not from around here."

The pup nodded. "I've heard the stories. They say she comes from a distant land no one can follow her to except for you. Where does she come from?"

A familiar warmth filled his chest at the thought of the miko, a small smile pulling at his lips. "She comes from the future."

Inuyasha waited for the shock to show on the pup's face, but he just nodded again and waited for Inuyasha to continue. The larger hanyou sighed at the ever curious glint in the smaller hanyou's eyes before he launched into the story of the girl from the well, and the half-youkai pinned to the base of Goshinboku by a sacred arrow. Throughout the retelling Toshiro's attention didn't divert or lessen as one expected of a child, and he only interrupted to ask the occasional question. By the time Inuyasha had finished their fingers and toes were pruned.

"Wow. . . I didn't know mikos were that powerful." Toshiro almost whispered, his voice awestruck.

"Yeah, she's really amazing." Inuyasha sighed again, though this time with longing. When the hell was the wench planning on coming back? If she wasn't back by morning he was going after her.

"You love her."

Inuyasha's already flushed face turned even darker, his eyes going wide.

"What the hell do you know about love, pest?"

"I've seen love before. I know that you love her." He wasn't asking, his voice wasn't unsure. He said it as simply as if he were stating that the sky was blue.

"Why aren't the two of you mated?" Toshiro pressed.

"Why do you ask so many damn questions?!" Inuyasha's threw his arms up in exasperation, they slapped loudly back into the water.

"I can't help it." He shrugged his bony shoulders.

"Nosey little brat." Inuyasha grumbled, warm up to his ears despite his attempts to look indifferent. "Things are complicated."

"Aren't they always." The pup said, suddenly sounding a thousand years old.

Inuyasha met his gaze, his blush fading to be replaced by concern. In Toshiro's eyes Inuyasha could see untold stories of pain, and an unadulterated sadness. The large hanyou felt the surge of protectiveness return, and in that moment he wanted to hunt down what had hurt Toshiro more than he had ever wanted anything. After a moment Toshiro seemed to realize that Inuyasha was looking in his eyes, and looked away quickly as if to keep the larger hanyou from finding out his secrets.

"Let's head back to the village." Inuyasha rose from the steaming water, his muscles much looser and the smell of dirt washed away from his skin.

He heard Toshiro wade behind him and they dressed in silence, when Toshiro went to put back on the scraps of his shirt Inuyasha yanked the tattered material out of the pup's hand and tossed it aside. He threw his fire rat haori into Toshiro's confused face.

"What're you giving me this for?"

"Keh." Inuyasha pulled on his undershirt. "Do you want to freeze? 'Cuz I'll take it back if you don't want it."

He watched as Toshiro fingered the thick material of the haori, a pucker above his brows.

"I don't want your pity."

"It's not pity, runt. And I ain't letting you keep it." Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the pup's stubbornness. "It's just a loan so relax and put it on, we ain't got all day."

"Fine."

When Toshiro was done wrapping the haori around himself, the material almost reaching his knees and the sleeves swallowing his hands, they trekked through the darkening forest back toward the village.

"Inuyasha?"

The larger hanyou groaned dramatically. "What now, pest?"

He looked down at the dark haired half-youkai walking along side him, his cheeks were puffed out and pink, he looked toward the trees as if he couldn't meet Inuyasha's eyes.

"Thanks." He finally ground out.

"Keh." Inuyasha flushed again, looking in the other direction and trying to ignore the warm feeling in his chest that for once had nothing to do with Kagome.


	6. Gifts

**Six**

Kagome sighed into her pillow, fighting to keep her eyes closed. After a much needed bath the night before, and Mama's home cooking, she'd fallen blissfully asleep in her plush bed. It was rare that she got to sleep in her bedroom, and though it wasn't the night sleeping under stars that she was used to, it was familiar and comforting. Her unconscious was filled with dreams of the hanyou she'd come to love, the hanyou she sometimes wished she could get over. But she knew that she was as likely to stop loving Inuyasha as the sun was likely to rise west. He was always just out of reach in her dreams, drawing her in with his liquid gold eyes and getting farther away the more desperately she reached, just as he was when she was awake.

She sighed again as awareness tore through her, ripping her rudely from oblivion. She blinked her bleary eyes a few times, shivering into her pink comforter as an early winter wind blew through her open window. She hadn't actually expected to stay the night here; Inuyasha almost never let her stay in her time for long without him, he usually came bounding through her window, demanding she go back to the Feudal Era and work on finding ways to purify the Shikon no Tama. As she sat up in bed and yawned, stretched out her stiff muscles, she wondered what had kept him away. The digital clock on her nightstand flashed 11:05 am and Kagome gasped. She should have been back by now. Mornings started early in the Feudal Era, and Kaede was sure to be wondering why she was late for her daily miko training.

She jumped up, throwing open her closet and tossing clothes onto her bed; jeans and sweaters, not the usual short skirts she wore. Winters in the past were harsh, and over the years she learned that saving herself from hypothermia was more important than trying to catch Inuyasha's eye in her frilly skirts and thin tops.

 _It's not like the baka has ever noticed anyway._

She pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans, a pink turtleneck, and her worn brown hiking boots. She shoved the rest of her clothes into the gigantic yellow bag that had managed to survive the years, along with a few books -romance for her and kindergarten workbooks for Shippou-, and was rushing down the hall when a sudden thought gave her pause.

Toshiro.

When she'd found the little hanyou all he'd had on was a filthy hakama and a ripped up shirt. She dropped her bag in the hall and spun around to her little brother's room. He was fourteen now and all long arms and legs, but she was sure he still had some of his clothes from when he was younger tucked away somewhere. When she pushed open Souta's door her nose wrinkled, it smelled like boy and bodyspray. He had manga strewn all over the floor, posters of cars and his favorite anime characters on all the walls around his unmade bed. She grimaced at the mess, shaking her head and made her way to his closet. Unlike her own, his clothes were in bunched up piles, pants thrown with shirts and socks and -disgustingly- underwear. She prayed that it was all clean as she suppressed a groan and dug through the mountain. At the very bottom she found a few t shirts that looked about Toshiro's size, grabbed them up, and ran from the room as if Souta's boy germs were out to get her. She sighed as she made it back to her bag, shoving the five different color t shirts she'd managed to grab into it as well as she made her way downstairs.

As she made her way through the house she heard her mother's soft humming. She smiled, placing her bag on the kitchen table and hugging her mother's back.

"Hi, Mama."

Her mother made a surprised little sound and turned, eyes wide. Looking at her not so little girl, she smiled warmly, the skin around her eyes crinkling a little as she did.

"Hello dear, I hope you slept well?"

"Sure did! I've gotta head back though."

Her mother nodded, returning to the sink where she had been washing a pot. She'd long since accepted the fact that much of Kagome's life was 500 years in the past, and as long as her daughter was kept safe and happy, she was happy.

"I'm surprised Inuyasha hasn't come grumping that you stayed the night." Her mother said with a small laugh.

"I know, right?" Kagome was in the cabinets, pulling out the stashed boxes of pocky for Shippou, the granola bars for Miroku, the chocolate cookies for Sango, and the chips and ramen for Inuyasha. She idly wondered what kind of snacks their new member would like as she continued, "I'm assuming he's stayed behind to look after Toshiro."

"The little hanyou you told me about last night?" Her mother's brows raised. "Really? Since when does Inuyasha do such things? Don't get me wrong Dear, he's an amazing person, if not a bit crass sometimes, but he's never been particularly fond of children has he? You always tell me that he and your little kitsune bicker like cats and dogs."

"You're right about that, but this feels different. You should have seen his face when he thought no one was looking, mama. He looked at Toshiro like he was looking at a piece of himself." She sighed, a warm feeling in her chest as she remembered how she watched him watch the children the day before-five minutes before she'd sat him and ran away. She grabbed the heavy wooden mixing bowl she'd gotten for Kaede from under the sink, stuffing that in her bag too. "He's also an Inu hanyou, one who was beaten and bloody when I found him. I feel like Inuyasha will be good for him, and vise versa. I'm hoping that'll be the case anyway."

Her mother's eyes softened. "I hope so too, Dear. I know you guys will take good care of him. Every child needs a mother and father, and you two have done so well with Shippou over the past few years. And Shippou needs a sibling, the two of you would have waited until the poor thing was full grown before giving him one."

"Mom!" Kagome's face heated. "You make it sound as if we're together!"

Her mom's face was all innocent, except for the smug glint in her brown eyes. "Well, aren't you?"

Kagome's face burned. She groaned at her exasperating mother before she slung her gargantuan bag over her shoulder. She gave her mother a quick hug and kisses her on the cheek, still red to the roots of her hair, as she hurried for the front door.

"Bye, mom!"

"Be safe, honey!" She heard her call as she rushed to the well house. She was sure her mom was grinning.

She rolled her eyes, still trying to calm her still racing heart as she shifted the bag over her shoulder again and jumped into the well, the time slip opening under her effortlessly and sending her back to a place that seemed more like home.

When her feet touched the bottom of the well in the past she groaned. How the in the world was she supposed to drag her backpack up the ladder? Inuyasha always jumped her and the bag out of the well, and on the rare occasions that she had to use the ladder Miroku had made for her she still had never had to lug the bag up with her. She sighed, mentally preparing herself for the pain she was sure to feel in her back later as she hoisted herself up the first few rungs. She grunted with the effort, finding it irritatingly difficult but too stubborn to go get Inuyasha and ask for his help; she was still kind of mad at him.

As she tried for the third time to make it up the ladder she felt the weight of the bag slide from her shoulders. She looked up, expecting to see gold eyes looking down at her but gasped when she met bright red ones instead. In her shock she dropped from the ladder, landing on the bottom of the well with an, "Oof" and a puff of dust. She looked back up at the gigantic cat that floated in the air above her, the straps of the backpack held carefully between her sharp teeth and her two tails swishing.

"Kirara!" Kagome huffed. "You scared the daylights out of me!"

The fire cat youkai growled what Kagome took to be an apology before she flew to the top of the well to deposit the bag. When Kagome didn't immediately follow Kirara stuck her head into the well, her head tipping to the side and a small grumble coming from her lips as if asking why Kagome was taking so long.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

She hoisted herself the branch and vine ladder, and when her boots crunched into the soft snow around the well Kagome sighed. Feudal Japan was always beautiful, but the past in the winter was like another world. A thick white blanket covered every tree and rock, the serene quiet a welcome reprieve from the busy streets of modern day Tokyo. She took a deep breath of the clean, crisp air.

Beside her a rush of fire blazed up, the snow around it melting instantly to show bright green grass underneath. Kirara had transformed back into her smaller form. She looked up with wide eyes as Kagome hefted the heavy bag onto her back.

"Mew."

"I missed you too, Kirara. Where have you been, you silly girl?" Kagome started toward the village, the fire cat keeping pace easily next to her. Kirara mewed again as if in answer. Lately the cat youkai had been disappearing for days on end, only to show up again out of the blue as if she'd never left. Sango had nearly lost her mind when her partner went missing the first time, a whole three days without the youkai who was always with her. But as the months passed Sango became less and less hysterical when Kirara went off on her little adventures, she knew Kirara could take care of herself though the knowledge rarely kept her from worrying.

She'd made it to the village, and as she walked -giving absentminded smiles and greetings to the villagers who beamed at her- her eyes went instantly to the hut sitting all on it's own; Inuyasha's hut. He'd built it two years before, when Miroku and Sango had married. It was larger than any other hut in the village, though it wasn't really 'in the village'. It stood proudly on the outskirts, far enough away from the actual village to have a semblance of privacy in a small clear area, with Inuyasha's Forest at its back.

When she'd asked Inuyasha why he'd built it, he got angry and defensive. He'd said he had a right to a house just like every other person, but Kagome knew that couldn't have been the case; he was more comfortable sleeping high in the branches of a tree than on a futon in a confining house. But still he'd said that it was his place to do with what he damn well pleased, and then had the gall to insist that Kagome stay there too. When she'd asked why he'd barked that she'd look clingy and desperate, always either sleeping in the newly weds' hut or Kaede's, and that he could better keep an eye on her from his own. She'd 'sat' him for the comment and ran home, but still her and Shippou slept in the hut most nights when they were in the village. Her bow and arrows, along with her clothes, Shippou's toys and workbooks, and the extra modern day food and healthcare supplies, were stashed away there.

She shook her head at the thought of the confounding hanyou, pushing the bamboo curtain to Kaede's aside and stepping into the hut.

"Kagome!" A tuft of fur launched into her arms, Shippou snuggling under chin. "I missed you!"

She grunted from the extra weight he added with her bag still on her back.

"I missed you too, Shippou."

"Oi." She looked up from the grinning kit in her arms to the Inuyasha, who sat against the back wall as usual, his eyes hard. "What the hell took you?"

"I fell asleep." She snapped, already getting irritated with his crass tone. "Kami forbid I want to stay the night at home. If it was such an issue, why didn't you come get me?"

Inuyasha's eyes flickered to his right unconsciously before they narrowed back on her. Kagome followed his gaze and landed on Toshiro, her eyes widening. He was sitting with his back to the wall as well, legs crossed as he glowered down at a piece of paper he was scribbling on with a blue crayon. He was scrubbed free of blood, the black and blue spots dotting his face lighter than they'd been the day before. He wore Inuyasha's haori, it pooled around his now clean white hakama and the large sleeves rolled up to bunches on his elbows as not to get in the way while he colored. The cuts along his arms -and the ones shown on his collar thanks to the too big shirt- were bright pink and healing. His once long and matted hair was now cropped short and clean, the soft looking black spikes sticking out close from his head. He seemed not to have noticed Kagome's entrance, but she was around inu-hanyous long enough to know that his ears being turned in her direction meant that he was listening.

Inuyasha hopped gracefully from his spot beside the young hanyou to his feet, still glaring as he made his way over to her and slid the yellow bag from her shoulders. "You belong here, wench."

"With me!" Shippou piped up excitedly, Kaede chuckled by the fire pit.

"Ya shouldn't throw yourself at her life that Shippou." Inuyasha growled. "You could have hurt her."

Both the kit and the miko tensed, waiting for him to thump Shippou on the head. But instead the large hanyou gave the kit a stern look, flicked his nose with his index finger, and went to sit himself down by the fire with Kagome's backpack. The miko looked down at Shippou in confusion, and saw unbelievably that Shippou's jade green eyes were watering. His bottom trembled as he looked up at her.

"I'm sorry, Kagome." He whimpered.

She cooed, lifting him a little to nuzzle his nose with hers. "It's ok, honey. I know you didn't mean any harm."

The kitsune giggled at his adoptive mother, leaning in to kiss her cheek before he jumped out of her arms and ran over to sit beside Toshiro. Kirara followed the kit, sniffing curiously at the new hanyou who in turn gave her an equally curious look. The two youths spoke lowly to one another, one smiling and the other with a small frown on his face. Kagome smiled as she watched Toshiro reach a hand out for Kirara to smell, and went to sink down beside Inuyasha who didn't acknowledge her except for a flick of his ears in her direction. Kaede gave her a look across the fire.

"Ye missed your training this morning, Kagome."

"I don't even know why she needs to train." Inuyasha snorted at her side. "I protect her."

"You can't always protect me, baka. I have to be able to protect myself." Kagome bowed to her teacher. "I'm sorry, Kaede. I'll train twice as long today."

The old miko smiled.

"Keh."

Kagome rolled her eyes, then turned to the bag between her and Inuyasha.

"I brought gifts!"

At the mention of presents she heard Shippou yelp, then his paws scurry across the packed floor before he jumped onto her lap. She turned and saw Toshiro make his way hesitantly over. He plopped down on Inuyasha's other side and gave Kagome a perplexed look. She dug into the bag around the squirming kitsune in her arms.

"A new mixing bowl of for Kaede."

Her teacher smiled wide as she accepted the gift. "You're much too kind."

"New workbooks and pocky for Shippou." The kit squealed, snatching up his goodies and bouncing off of her lap to show Toshiro his new things.

"A few clean shirts for Toshiro."

The little hanyou looked up in shock at the miko, as if he hadn't expected to be given anything. Kagome reached over Inuyasha to pass Toshiro his new shirts. He took them slowly, still looking at Kagome in confusion. He finally found his voice.

"You didn't have to get me anything." He said seriously, an odd tremble in his voice as he sat the shirts in his laps without looking at them.

Kagome's heart clenched. "I wanted to. Be sure to tell me of any treats you may like, I'll bring you some of those too."

Toshiro blushed lightly, he glanced quickly to Inuyasha who nodded, before he looked back to Kagome. "Thank you, miko."

Kagome's heart swelled. She was so happy that he accepted her gifts, and she wanted more than anything to reach over and hug him to her chest and rub his cute little ears, but she refrained. She knew he wouldn't like that, and she was determined to get him to come out of his shell. He wasn't like Shippou, who thrived off of affection. He needed his space, and hopefully he'd come to like her on his own. She smiled warmly at him before turning back to her bag.

"Snacks and sutras for Sango and Miroku." She glanced around the hut, noticing for the first time that they weren't there. "Where are they?"

"They've gone to the slayer's village." Inuyasha said.

"Without Kirara?" She glanced at the cat youkai, who was currently coaxing the little hanyou into playing with her as she flicked her tails at him repeatedly. A look of concentration covered his round face as he tried again and again to nab one of her fluffy tails with one of his hands, the other held tightly onto his new clothes. Shippou giggled and stuck a stick of strawberry pocky under his nose. He took it, a cautious look in his eyes as he nibbled on the end. A small smile pulled at his lips as he responded to something Shippou said, his cheeks dimpling as he extended his new shirts out for Shippou to look over. The warm feeling in Kagome expanded.

"Kirara was gone when they left." Inuyasha's voice pulled her attention away from the two adorable boys.

"Oh." She turned back to her bag. "Well I brought you ramen and chips!"

Inuyasha's ears perked comically. She handed off the treats to her best friend, who blushed and mumbled, "Thanks wench."

"Where does Kirara go when she leaves?" Toshiro spoke up to Kagome's surprise, his voice more confident than before.

"No one knows," Kagome said. "Kirara is a little mystery."

"Does anyone ever follow her to find out?" He tilted his head.

"We all have our secrets, young one." Kaede said as she mixed herbs in her new bowl.

Toshiro frowned at this and turned back to Shippou as the kit tried to claim his attention again. The cat youkai in question laid her head on her paws as if oblivious to the people talking about her, her tails still swished against Toshiro's side as he accepted another stick of pocky from his companion. Kagome could have sworn the tiny youkai was smiling.

* * *

 **I wonder where Kirara runs off to? Story will pick up a little after this chapter!**


	7. Beginning Of An Adventure

**Seven**

He kept himself low to the ground, nose to the cold earth. He tried to sift through the crisp smell of snow to find the earthy scent he was looking for. He'd almost caught the rabbit before but had tripped over a snow hidden tree root in his haste and lost it's trail. . . again. He bit back his low growl of frustration, leaping into a nearby bush to try to wait the creature out. He tried to ignore the strange feeling of air on the back of his neck and suddenly remembered when he'd let Inuyasha cut it. . .

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

"No."

"Keh."

"No!"

"Stop being a wimp!"

Toshiro flushed, crossing his arms over his chest, unaware of just how comical he looked swimming in Inuyasha's haori. They were still making their way back to the village after their bath, and had been walking in comfortable silence until Inuyasha had suggested he let him cut his hair.

"I'm not being a wimp!" The little hanyou growled. "I just don't want your dirty hands in my hair!"

If Toshiro were honest with himself he would have said that the thought of anyone touching him at all gripped him with fear and launched him back into memories of a dark, damp room.

"You look stupid with your hair all chopped up like that! Just let me clip off a few inches." Inuyasha smirked down at his companion, making scissor motions with his clawed fingers.

"No!"

"Keh!" The larger hanyou rolled his eyes, his tone turning conversational as if he didn't care one way or another if the smaller kept his hair ragged."It's just gonna keep growing unevenly if you leave it that way."

Toshiro puffed his cheeks in annoyance, casting his eyes into the dark trees and grumbling under his breath. It wasn't that he didn't want it cut, he really did. It was a constant reminder of a past he'd decided he wanted to forget. He just couldn't stand the idea of someone touching him. He would have cut it himself, but his claws were to brittle and dull to cut through a leaf let alone his hair. Years of malnutrition had left his body weak, broken. But he was taught that hanyous weren't meant to be strong in the first place. Weren't meant to live healthy lives, happy ones. He'd believed that until he'd met Inuyasha-who he'd thought was just a myth before now. He suddenly wanted desperately to be rid of his long hair, he wanted desperately to be have all ties to the life he'd known cut, starting literally. He'd never before challenged the things he'd been taught to believe, but he suddenly wanted to find out for himself if they were actually true or not.

"Fine."

Inuyasha blinked down at him in surprise. Toshiro blushed as he stopped himself in front of his senior.

"Just. . . just make it quick alright?!" He pinched his golden eyes shut.

"Keh."

Inuyasha circled to the back of him and Toshiro felt his anxiety rise. He didn't like people at his back. When he felt the grab at the ends of his hair he couldn't help the small whine that escaped him despite the other hanyou's gentle hold. He tried to bite back his panic but still a barrage of memories rushed at him; mocking laughter, tugs and yanks at his scalp, razor like claws at his ear. His whine escalated and he unconsciously tensed when Inuyasha got a better hold on his raven locks.

"Pup, relax." The older hanyou said in his gravelly voice, tone soft. "I'm not gonna hurt you. You've gotta trust me."

Trust him? He didn't even know the half-youkai from a pile of dirt. Why should he trust him? What made him different from them? What would stop the hanyou more than twice his size from hurting him if he so chose? Then Inuyasha suddenly made a strange rumbling sound from the pit of his belly, not quite a growl and not quite a purr. The sound was as commanding as it was calming, and Toshiro felt his rigid stance instinctively relax a little. Before he could question the weird sound or his reaction further he felt the pressure at his head disappear with a quick 'flick' of Inuyasha's wrist. He realized a moment later that the other hanyou never actually touched him.

He watched in amazement as ebony strands fell around his bare feet, the remaining hair on his head falling just against the back of his neck. He felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders in more than just a physical way.

He smiled, dimpling in his first real smile in a long, long time.

He turned to the older hanyou, surprised to see the concerned look in Inuyasha's bright eyes. Toshiro flushed furiously, trying to push down the ridiculously grateful feeling he felt toward his new companion.

"Thanks." He grouched out, collecting himself and trying to make his face stoic again.

"Keh." Inuyasha spun on his heel toward the village, his pinked cheeks unseen in the darkness that surrounded them. "Couldn't have you walking around with me looking like that."

Toshiro smirked, walking beside him with his arms tucked into the massive sleeves of the fire rat haori and the unfamiliar breeze grazing the nape of his neck. He somehow knew that that was Inuyasha's way of saying you're welcome.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

A flash of white dashed past Toshiro's hiding spot. He growled under his breath, berating himself for his wandering mind as he took off after the retreating rabbit. It'd gotten a head start in his moment of distraction and Toshiro dived after it in bush after bush. His frustration made him clumsy, and before he knew it he'd lost track of the crafty little creature again.

 _Dammit._ He slammed his fist into a nearby tree, muttering angrily to himself when snow landed in his hair and ears and traveled down the back of his purple T-shirt. He sighed dramatically, flopping onto his back in the soft white powder and succumbing to his exhaustion if only for a few seconds. It took exactly three of them before clawed feet were next to his head.

A thud sounded as Inuyasha dropped from his perch in a tree and into the snow beside him.

"What the hell was that, pest?"

The young hanyou turned his head to look up at his mentor's scowl. His nose was scrunched up in agitation, his lips turned down in a frown. Toshiro groaned, turning again to look up into the branches of the trees, focusing on the little specks of blue sky he could see through them and trying to ignore Inuyasha's disappointed glower.

"Well?"

"I got distracted, okay?" He flicked his honey eyes back to the other hanyou, wincing internally when Inuyasha growled.

"Ya can't afford to be gettin' distracted!" Inuyasha snarled, his arms crossed tightly over his broad chest. "What if we needed food, huh? What if you were the only one capable of hunting? What if you got separated from the pack and needed to fend for yourself?"

Toshiro rolled his eyes before gazing again into the trees.

He'd been getting the same lecture for the three weeks since his training had begun. He couldn't help that he got distracted often. He was constantly bombarded with best forgotten painful memories, and recently with more pleasant ones. Like sleeping on his very own futon in Inuyasha's and Kagome's hut. Or tasting crisped potatoes for the first time. Or the few challenging, but interesting, reading lessons he'd gotten from the miko. Not to mention that the only other time he'd been in the forest was when he was running through it to escape. The sights, the smells, of Inuyasha's Forest was so unlike anything he'd ever experienced that he couldn't help but get lost in it all.

"Oi! I'm talking to you!" Inuyasha kicked snow onto the little hanyou's face.

Toshiro sputtered as he sat up, his ear folding back as he shot a glare at the other half-youkai. He knew he had no right to be irritated with his senior, but he'd rather be angry than acknowledge the guilt that swirled in his stomach at dissapointing Inuyasha. It shouldn't have mattered what the other thought of him, he shouldn't have carex, but for some reason Toshiro felt shame whenever Inuyasha was upset with him. The longer he was around him the longer he felt this strange want . . . need to make Inuyasha proud. He rose to his feet, scratching at his cut ear absently as he avoided Inuyasha's glare.

"I'm trying. Lay off."

"Keh." Inuyasha grumbled, stomping past the little hanyou. "Try harder next time."

"Tch." He shook the snow off of himself, falling into step beside the hanyou who was studiously ignoring him.

They walked along a worn trail, one that was becoming increasingly familiar to Toshiro thanks to their daily training and hunting trips.

In the few weeks since he'd been with Inuyasha's pack they'd developed a routine; Inuyasha would wake Toshiro up before the sun, -unknowingly saving him from nightmares- he'd take him out into his forest where they'd spend an hour mock hunting -Inuyasha would hide bits of the miko's cloth or one of Shippou's toys and have Toshiro sniff them out- and then an hour actually hunting for breakfast. After they caught breakfast, rarely actually killed by the younger hanyou, they would go back to Inuyasha's hut where Kagome would prepare their meal and Inuyasha would give Toshiro and Shippou a writing lesson in the room the two children now shared. Toshiro found writing difficult, but he was determined to catch up with the kitsune even though the younger child had much more practice. Then they would sit around the fire in the main room of their spacious hut and eat, followed by Kagome's miko training, Shippou''s goofing off, and Toshiro's continued hunting lessons.

They'd meet up with the mated humans and the old miko for lunch, and then after that Toshiro was subjected to hours of physical combat training with his sergeant of a teacher.

He grimaced at the thought of the mock battle he would undoubtedly have with Inuyasha later. The larger half-youkai never actually hurt him, hell he made it a point to never actually touch him, but still dodging and fending off rocks with nothing but a makeshift wooden sword was hard. Inuyasha was never cruel, but he was strict and never took it easy on him. Toshiro had a few pink spotted bruises where he'd been too slow to avoid Inuyasha's blows under his shirt. They barely bothered him though, he'd sustained much worse injuries in the past.

Inuyasha told him constantly that be needed to prepare, that be needed to be ready and able to defend himself and the pack. But since Toshiro had taken up refuge in the village there had been nothing but peace.

"When are we going out on a job?" He pulled himself from his head, blinking golden eyes up at Inuyasha.

The large hanyou snorted, his eyes closed as he walked. "You can't even catch breakfast, pest. What makes you think you're ready for a job?"

Toshiro puffed his chest. "I can handle a job!"

"You let that puny rabbit run right under your nose!"

"I got distracted!"

"You can't get distracted, Toshiro." Inuyasha's voice took on that stern tone the young hanyou was becoming accustomed to. "One wrong move while we're hunting rouge youkai and you or someone in the pack is dead."

"I'm not afraid. I can handle myself."

Inuyasha growled, gripping the smaller half-youkai's shoulder and spinning him around to face him. The terror that would have gripped him three weeks ago at someone's touch didn't come, just a mild discomfort. He was only able to handle Inuyasha touching him though, the times Shippou and the monk had tried had made him gnash his teeth and had gotten him thumped.

"Are you listening to me?!" The grip on his shoulder tightened a fraction. "You can't keep disappearing into your head, pup."

Toshiro sighed, his ears drooped. "I know."

"Do you?" Inuyasha pressed. "Things aren't just dangerous for you out there. When you agreed to be apart of this pack, you agreed to protect this pack. You can't do that if you're off in Lala Land!"

Toshiro felt thoroughly chastised. He suddenly couldn't meet the other hanyou's gaze. His eyes burned as he glared holes in the snow. With a sigh Inuyasha released him, turning back toward the village and tucking the pup under his arm. Toshiro was momentarily surprised by the comforting gesture, but said nothing about it for secret fear that he'd be pushed away.

"Just . . . just try harder. You got that, pup?"

Toshiro sniffed, wiping his nose on arm. "Yeah."

"Good! Enough of that mushy crap, let's get some breakfast."

Inuyasha pulled away from him and Toshiro watched in amazement as he turned from teacher and friend to menacing predator. Inuyasha's expression turned calculating, his bright eyes flicking in every direction and his nose lifted to the breeze. Toshiro blinked and Inuyasha was gone in a flash of crimson, his long silver hair flying behind him as he went after something the young hanyou couldn't see. Toshiro let a smile tug at his lips as Inuyasha emerged from the bush a minute later with two fat rabbits dangling from a clawed hand. He silently vowed that tomorrow he would catch breakfast on his own.

"Tch, show off." He rolled his eyes.

"Let's see you do it next time then, ungrateful little brat." Inuyasha snorted as he sunk down into the snow, skinning and gutting his kills with an ease that only came from someone who'd done it a thousand times.

"Tch."

Toshiro crouched in front of him as he worked, his wide eyes taking in every detail of Inuyasha's process. Inuyasha hadn't yet let Toshiro clean their kills once they were caught; he said they needed to be spotless of fur and insides or the miko would pitch a fit. Toshiro found it strange that Kagome got upset when the animals they killed looked like animals, but then again he thought Kagome was strange. Nice enough . . . but strange.

"Let's go, pest. I'm hungry."

The walk the rest of the way to village was short and fast. The villagers they passed smiled down at him and he forced himself to nod in acknowledgement in their directions. The people of the village were happy, annoyingly so. They were always smiling, and laughing, and the children were always trying to get him to play. He didn't trust them. He didn't trust anyone but Inuyasha. The six foot hanyou in question tossed aside the dividing curtain that separated his home from the outside world, pausing a second to allow Toshiro in before him before he called out gruffly to the miko that Toshiro heard rummaging around in one of the rooms connected to the main living area.

"Wench! Breakfast! Get cookin!!"

Kagome came from room she and Inuyasha shared, padding barefoot across the hardwood floor of the hut and rolling her eyes as she pulled her thick black hair up into a high ponytail.

"What do you think I am, your personal cook?"

"No, stupid girl. You're my m-" Inuyasha cut himself off with a flush, glaring daggers at the little hanyou who chuckled too low for the human to hear.

"Your what? Your maid?! Well I'm not, you baka!" She huffed at the hanyou who stood glaring from the doorway. She stomped over to him and snatched the meat out of his hand before making her way back to the fire pit in the center of the room. Her death glare turned sweet as she looked to Toshiro. "Goodmorning, Toshi."

The young hanyou blushed at the silly nickname the miko had started calling him by a week before, nodding to her with a quiet, "Goodmorning."

He heard Inuyasha finally find his voice and yell back at her as he walked into the bedroom across from Inuyasha's. "Oi! Did I say you were my maid?!"

"No, but you implied it!"

Shippou was sitting on his bed, his coloring books and crayons strewn around in the sheets, his tail swishing contentedly. He seemed oblivious to the bickering coming from the main room. Toshiro smirked as he flopped down on the bed that sat on the other side of the room from the kitsune's, sinking back onto his soft pillow with a sigh as he picked up the picture book he'd been looking at the night before.

"No I didn't! Women are supposed to do the cooking!"

"In my time the responsibilities are shared, Dog-boy!"

"Keh! I hunted it dammit, you want I should cook it and wipe your ass too?!"

Both kit and pup looked to each other across their bedroom, smiling wickedly to themselves at Inuyasha's simple-mindedness. They both knew what was coming next.

" _Osuwari!_ "

The boys laughed, Toshiro snickering lowly and Shippou holding in his giggles with his little hands covering his mouth. His paws kicked in the air as he rolled on his futon, trying to keep his laughter from reaching the volatile hanyou that was no doubt still eating wood.

"What the hell is so funny?!" The hanyou snarled loudly, his voice getting closer. "You two better be starting on your workbooks!"

Shippou skittered to the low table that sat in the middle of the room. Toshiro rolled his eyes and took his time to sink into the cushion next to the kit. He knew when Kagome used her strange command that the only thing that was hurting on Inuyasha was his pride. If he'd just mate the miko instead of constantly insulting her then maybe he wouldn't get 'sat' so much.

Inuyasha was almost to their bedroom when Toshiro's ears flicked toward the front door. Someone tapped restlessly on the hut before entering, the smell of anxiety reaching Toshiro even from the distance.

Shippou and Toshiro emerged from their room to stand behind Inuyasha who glared at the intruding villager. Kagome looked worriedly to the panting man.

"Inuyasha! Kagome!" The man braced his hands against his knees as if he'd run miles to reach them. "There's been a message from a village in the Western Lands. A village has been under attack by youkai for days, their children have been getting taken!"

Kagome gasped.

She ran to the fatigued villager to offer him a drink of water before her blazing eyes met Inuyasha's across the room. Toshiro felt her aura crackle around her and he shivered. Inuyasha nodded to the miko, his face grim as she talked quickly and quietly to the man about details of the village and it's location. When the villager thanked them with a low bow and left Kagome ran into her room, coming out seconds later with her quiver strapped to her back and her bow in hand. Toshiro noticed then that Shippou had gone back into their room to gather a small bag of snacks and his illusion tools. Toshiro looked up at the hanyou who still stood in front of him, fear and excitement thrilling through him at the same time. Inuyasha smirked over his shoulder at the smaller hanyou.

"Looks like you'll be going on your first job sooner than I thought, pest."


	8. A Good Thing

**Eight**

According to the messenger, the village Kagome and her friends had to go help was about four days travel on foot. They would have made it there in half the time, but when Kagome had gone to round up the rest of their party she'd learned that Kirara had again disappeared. The fire cat had been gone over a week this time, and Inuyasha hadn't been able to scent her anywhere near by. That meant that Inuyasha wouldn't be able to run with Kagome on her back, and that Sango, Miroku, and the children wouldn't have the luxury of riding on the transformed youkai. So Kagome packed her bag full of medical supplies and food, Sango sharpened Hiraikotsu and donned her taijia bodysuit, and Miroku grabbed a stack of sutras and his shakujou before they began their journey.

They were half a day toward the Western Lands, the forest alive and talkative despite the cold weather. Miroku and Sango lead the group, their heads bent in conversation, small smiles on their faces. Behind them walked a silent Toshiro, his ears twitching with every new sound coming from the trees around them, his bright yellow t shirt standing out like a small sun. A grinning Shippou was talking to the black haired hanyou beside him, his clawed hands moving excitedly as he told Toshiro about one of the many adventures from when he and the others were collecting the Shikon no Kakera. Bringing up the rear was Kagome herself, her bow and quiver of arrows strapped to her back. Beside her Inuyasha walked, as brooding as always with a hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt and a small frown on his face.

Kagome glanced at him, then was caught off guard by how handsome he was. His silver-white hair blended almost effortlessly in with the snow that covered the ground and trees, the pink inside of his ears standing out in a way that made her long to rub them. Over the years his ears had gotten a bit bigger, stood up a bit straighter as he grew. He'd lost some of the baby like roundness in his face, his cheekbones high and proud. He had a light dusting of dark facial hair along his strong jaw, and he had to have grown to well over six foot by now. She hadn't noticed these little changes in him, as one doesn't when they're around someone almost every day. He'd grown from a boy to a young man before her very eyes.

She wondered if he'd noticed the changes in her as well; like how she'd decided to stop cutting her hair and how it hung, thick and long, almost to her waist now. And how all the walking and fighting over the years had made her toned and strong. And how she'd too shot up a few inches, though she still only barely stood to his shoulder. And how finally - _finally-_ her body had changed from girl to woman, her curves bountiful and her bust full.

 _Probably not._ She thought with a roll of her eyes.

Her eyes flicked to her best friend, and she noted that Sango had also filled out, her frame tall and willowy in a way that often made her lecherous husband drool. Said perverted monk had grown into a strapping young man himself. His shoulders broad and strong, his muscles almost as pronounced as Inuyasha's from years of battling rouge youkai. He too wore a youkai slayer suit under his monk robes; Sango had crafted the black and purple accented armor for him a year before from the hide of a python youkai. He was still a bit uncomfortable in the skin tight material, deciding to wear it under his usual clothes just in case they got into real trouble during their travels. He still wore the bright blue prayer beads around his right hand too, despite the Kazanna curse disappearing the day they'd struck down Naraku.

Kagome's eyes wandered to Shippou next, and she noticed with a clench of her heart that he had also grown in subtle ways. He was taller than the kitsune she'd met five years before, though he was still about half a head shorter than Toshiro. His tail had lengthened and darkened to the orange-red color of his fur vest, the tip of it white and disappearing against the snow laden ground with each swish. His pawed feed had also grown, the prints left in his wake much larger than those of the little kit she'd first taken in. She knew that youkai and hanyous aged much differently than humans, and those little changes made her ache for the boy who was able to sit perched on her shoulder without fear of falling off.

"Why are you lookin' like you lost a friend, wench?" Inuyasha spoke up beside her.

She turned sad eyes to him, her hands balled up in front of her.

"Shippou has gotten so big." She sighed.

"Not by much." Inuyasha snorted, readjusted the large yellow bag on his shoulder. "He's still got a long way to go."

"But he's not a baby anymore, Inuyasha." She said, her voice trembling. "He'll be grown up and ready to leave on his own in a blink of an eye."

The large hanyou stared at her, his brow furrowed.

When he spoke again he sounded confused.

"When we took the runt in he wasn't a baby, Kagome. And why would you think he'd leave you? He wouldn't up and leave his mother."

"But I'm not really his mother . . ." Kagome sighed dejectedly.

"Keh," Inuyasha looked away from her. "Stupid human. When you took him in, cared for him, protected him, you may as well have adopted him. Youkai bond strongly to their families, blood or not. He's thought of you as his mother since the day we took down Hiten and Mantin. We'll be lucky if we ever get rid of his annoying ass now."

Kagome smiled despite Inuyasha's grumpy tone, his words immediately making her feel better. Her insides also warmed at the way Inuyasha said 'we', but decided not to mention it as he probably hadn't even noticed the slip up.

"So does that mean you're his father then, Dog-boy?" She teased instead.

"As if!" Inuyasha scoffed. "I can't be anyone's old man. I'm hardly someone a pup should look up to."

"Well that's just not true. You're not a bad guy, Inuyasha, as much as you try to be. Plus, I'm sure if Shippou put his mind to it he'd become a great hunter and fighter under your teaching. Look how well you've done with Toshiro these past few weeks."

Inuyasha glared at the ground, crossing his arms into the sleeves of his haori, his face ablaze. "That's different."

"How so?" Kagome challenged.

"Cuz the pest ain't got no choice but to learn to defend himself! He's gonna be fighting his entire life over something he couldn't control."

Kagome frowned, knowing that he was right. Even after they'd managed to defeat Naraku two years before, and had saved countless villages from attacks by human and youkai alike since then, from time to time they ran into a human or demon who belittled Inuyasha because he was not all one or the other. Luckily most knew not to trifle with him now with his reputation known far and wide, but Kagome knew that when they sometimes did encounter the harsh words that they still hurt him no matter how much he said otherwise.

Toshiro was in for a life full of ridicule, and would have to develop a tough skin like Inuyasha if he hadn't already. Something told Kagome that not much could really get under the often calm, calculating little hanyou's skin though. Aside from their initial meeting Toshiro had barely raised claw nor voice at any of them. The few exceptions being when Shippou played around a little too much and forgot that the hanyou did not like to be touched, or when Miroku pestered the raven hair half-youkai about where he came from.

She still did not know the young hanyou all that well, besides that he was incurably inquisitive and very, _very_ observant. His deep golden eyes seemed to see everything. And though he still prefered to watch and listen, he had moments where he was very talkative and showed Kagome a glimpse of the child he hid behind his constant glower. She loved the rare times when he let himself be a kid, when he let his guard down a little and allowed himself to play cards with Shippou or tag with Kirara. She didn't know what had happened to him in his past, -and she wouldn't ask until he was ready to talk about it- but she was glad that he seemed to be much more comfortable around them than he had been three weeks ago. He accepted food and gifts politely from them now, where as for the first week he'd been with them he'd been suspicious and cautious over the things they'd offer him, always wondering what they wanted in return.

He was no longer the gaunt, frail boy she'd found either; his belly had distended and now had the roundness a young child should have, his cuts and bruises had healed and disappeared all with the exception of a few especially nasty gashes that had turned to pink scars on his back. He started asking questions more and more; about the moon's cycle, about her world on the other side of the well, how the villagers planted and tended to their crops, about the other lands and different people she learned about in school, and most surprisingly . . . about art. When she'd brought back the Van Goh picture book for him he came to her the next morning, his golden eyes shining in rare excitement and asking a million and one questions about the man who'd created the paintings. She'd wanted to squeeze him to her chest so bad, he was so cute with his dimples and twitching little ears, she'd barely contained herself. She gazed now at his ramrod straight back as they walked, a small sigh escaping her lips as she made a mental note to give him the Claude Monet picture book she had left over from an art history class somewhere in her room.

Then as they walked through a large clearing she saw Toshiro's little puppy ears perk up at the same time she felt a youki approaching from the east. It was large, and violent, and coming _fast._

"Guys!" She called, pulling her bow into her hands as she faced the trees.

Her friends moved quickly into action, all except Shippou who ran to cling onto Kagome's leg and Toshiro who just stared wide eyed at the tree line. Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath in a sweeping gesture, stepping in front of Kagome and calling over his shoulder.

"Oi, monk! Get your ass up front, it's time to play." He said, never taking his eyes off of the trees.

"It's been quite a while since we last fought, Inuyasha." Miroku smirked, twirling his shakujou. "I hope you can keep up."

"Keh." Inuyasha cracked the knuckles of his free hand. "I'll end up saving your sorry ass, no doubt. You may as well hang back and protect your wife and Kagome."

"His _wife_ ," Sango spoke up, stepping up between the boys with her Hiraikotsu at the ready. She pulled her slayer's mask over the lower half of her face, her voice becoming muffled by the thick metal. "Is more than capable of protecting herself, thank you."

Kagome stayed behind her three bickering friends, placing herself in front of the children and notching back an arrow just as a massive bear youkai lumbered into the clearing.

"Cease your incessant babble." The youkai grumbled. It was in its humanoid form, its enormous fur covered body upright and standing at least seven feet tall. It's human looking hands ended in long, red stained claws. "Give me the Jewel of Four Souls, before I end your pitiful lives."

"As if we'd give the Shikon no Tama to a weakling like you."

The youkai turned its glowing yellow eyes on Inuyasha. "Do not speak to me, half breed. Your very existence is born of weakness."

"Keh." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "That was original."

Kagome tensed when the youkai looked to her, his eyes zeroing in on the jewel dangling around her neck. She aimed her arrow at it's heart in warning, her arms tense and hands steady. Her power surged up inside her, crackling and buzzing and waiting to be released.

"Leave now youkai, before we are forced to kill you." Miroku spoke up calmly, pulling the bear's attention away from Kagome and the children.

It laughed. A deep, rumbling laugh that shook the trees that surrounded the expansive clearing. "You, slay me? I thought that monks were meant to be peaceful."

Miroku's mouth twitched. "I tend to get a bit cross when someone threatens my family."

"Maybe I won't kill the wenches," It shrugged it's hulking shoulders. It's eyes raked slowly over Sango and then Kagome, a smirk pulling at its lips and showing the razor sharp teeth behind them. "Maybe I'll take them for myself, and use them the way human women ought to be used."

Inuyasha growled dangerously, his grip on Tetsusaiga so tight his knuckles bled white, his ears laid back against his head. Kagome risked a glance at him and was shocked when she saw his eyes flash red quickly and jagged purple marks appear on his cheeks. In a heartbeat his youkai markings disappeared, his eyes turning back to their familiar gold though the fury there did not lessen.

"Hella nasty, bastard. I'll gut you like a fuckin fish if you even _look_ at her again." He snarled, his voice more beast than man.

"Is she yours, hanyou?" The youkai looked amused. "What is a thing like that doing trifling with a _thing_ like you?"

Despite the situation Kagome felt her face burn. Inuyasha's growl deepened.

"Come find out." He taunted.

With a roar the bear lunged across the space between them, a massive paw aiming for their huddled group. Kagome and the others scattered, jumping out of the way of the youkai's attack just as it connected with the ground and sent snow and rocks flying.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

Toshiro pulled himself up from the ground with a wince, the snow and dust around him settling. He'd just managed to dodge the bear's claws and his elbow ached from landing on it. He looked around the clearing, anxiety filling him when he saw the rouge youkai right itself in the middle of the clearing.

Sango and Miroku stood on one side of the bear, their weapons readied and their faces hard, Inuyasha stood on its other with his sword held in both hands and a constant growl streaming from his clenched teeth. Kagome and Shippou were nearest to him, now at the bear's back. The miko quickly pulled herself from the snow and dirt, her eyes flickering to them to ensure that they were alright before she scrambled to find her fallen bow. Shippou rubbed a sore spot on his head as he sat up. Toshiro was momentarily surprised at the relief he felt at finding that they were all unhurt. He shook his head, chastising himself. He needed to focus on the enemy. It was talking to them again.

"The lot of you are quite agile for a bunch of mortals and half breed scum." The youkai hummed conversationally, it's claws lengthening at it's sides despite it's almost entertained tone. "If you all were full blooded youkai you might have actually been a threat."

"I'm a full blooded youkai, you baka!" Shippou spoke up righteously, his hands going to cover his mouth a second later when the bear turned it's glare on him.

"That you are, little fox." It fell to all fours, stalking toward him. "And you will make me a fine pair of gloves."

"Shippou, you idiot!" Inuyasha called from behind the bear, running to keep up with it as it gained speed, racing toward the two children who stood unprotected.

Toshiro quickly judged the distance between the bear, Inuyasha, and Shippou, determining that the older hanyou wouldn't make it to the kitsune in time as the bear ran at the trembling kit. The humans were racing to intercept the bear as well, calling out for Shippou to run. The miko had found her bow but searched frantically in the snow for an arrow a small distance away. None of them were going to make it in time. His body moved before he gave it permission to.

With a second to spare Toshiro leapt in between Shippou and the rouge youkai, managing to rake a clawed hand down the left side of its face at the same time the bear's intended strike to Shippou tossed him across the clearing like a rag doll. He cried out as he smacked into a large oak, pain blossoming in his side where the bear's claws had punctured his skin and his left ankle aching from landing heavily on it.

He struggled to sit up, glaring at the youkai who had turned to him in annoyance. The bear's left eye was closed and swollen, four deep red gashes running from the fur above it's eye to its chin and dripping blood into the snow.

"That all you got?" Toshiro smirked around a shuddering breath, a hand pressed against the blood soaked and shredded side of his shirt. He struggled to stand, using his free hand to support himself against the tree but crumbled to one knee as his ankle screamed in protest.

"Insolent half breed!" The bear snarled, going to charge for Toshiro before a flash of crimson landed in its way.

"You stupid pup!" Inuyasha barked over his shoulder as he brought his sword down on the youkai, cleaving off one of its hands and ignoring when it roared in pain. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"

Toshiro winced as his wound throbbed with the beat of his heart, casting a thankful glance at the unscathed Shippou before he snorted at his mentor. "I'm alive, aren't I?" he said even as the blood stained his ruined shirt further.

"Toshiro!" Kagome ran to him, Shippou on her heels. She slid onto her knees through the snow to his side, her eyes wide and panicking. Her hands moved around uncertainly, wanting to help but not wanting to upset him by touching him. "Are you ok?!"

"I'm fine." He mumbled around a wave a pain. The wound didn't matter, he'd begin healing soon. All that mattered was that Shippou was safe. He was once again surprised at the worry he'd felt, what had made him rush to protect the other child? He wasn't even sure he liked the kitsune, nevermind trusted him. And yet his first instinct had been to put himself in danger before allowing the younger boy to be hurt.

He pushed thoughts of him turning soft to the back of his mind, turning his eyes to the remainder of the pack as they fought the enraged bear. It swung its remaining hand around wildly, it's furious roars shaking the snow off of the trees as Inuyasha and the humans dodged it's attacks again and again. Kagome's concerned voice turned into a dull thrum in his ears as he focused on the battle. Sango suddenly jumped high above the beast, throwing her Hiraikotsu expertly and landing in a graceful crouch as it turned end over end through the air, slicing cleanly through the rouge youkai's other paw just as it attempted to strike Inuyasha. Miroku swung his shakujou in a wide arc, sweeping the wailing youkai off it's feet as Inuyasha raised his blade above his head, his back tense and the mighty fang gathering wind around it.

" _Kaze no Kizu!"_ He bellowed, slamming the sword down into the ground as blinding waves of energy raced from the fang and toward the bear, leaving melted snow and gouged earth in its wake.

The rouge youkai was enveloped instantly in the attack, it's dying yowl echoing through the clearing. When the Wind Scar died down all that was left of the bear was a pile of dust that blew away in the breeze. Toshiro's awe at their skill was short lived when a shadow moved to stand over him. Inuyasha glared down at him furiously, his voice like a whip.

"What the hell was that, pest?!"

Toshiro winced, from his tone as well as from his side throbbing.

"I was protecting him." He said defensively, casting an annoyed glance at the miko who still fussed over him.

The monk and the taijia jogged over, covered in a light layer of sweat.

"That was very brave of you, Toshiro." Sango said as she pulled her metal mask from her face and tied it to her sash, her lips turned upward in praise.

"Don't fuckin' encourage him!" Inuyasha snapped at her, his hands fisted on his hips. "He could have died!"

Shippou stood beside the young hanyou silently, his eyes wide and afraid at the blood covering Toshiro's side. He wouldn't meet Toshiro's eyes, his own ducking a second later in shame.

"He did what we all would have, had we been close enough." Miroku said reasonably. He turned to Toshiro, nodding to him gratefully. "You did well, my young friend."

Toshiro found the energy to blush at all the compliments, even with his side and ankle still in agony.

"Keh." Inuyasha grumbled. "It was stupid. I would have made it."

"Enough, Inuyasha." Kagome warned, her voice holding that dangerous 'I-will-sit-you-to-Hell' tone. "Please hand me my bag, his wounds need to be bandaged."

Toshiro felt panic rise within him when she reached for him, momentarily pushing his pain to the back of his mind.

"No!" He flinched away from her outstretched hand, a flash of guilt assaulting him at the hurt expression in her eyes. "I . . .I-"

"It's fine, wench." Inuyasha mumbled, taking the yellow bag from Shippou who had dragged it over. "I'll get him patched up. Go help the others set up camp for the night."

Kagome nodded with a clear of her throat, not meeting either of their eyes as she followed the others away. Inuyasha hunkered down next to Toshiro, digging through the massive bag and grumbling to himself about 'impulsive pups'. Toshiro was confused, he thought that Inuyasha would be happy that he'd protected the kit. Everyone else seemed proud of what he'd done. He looked from the rest of the pack who were gathering firewood, to Inuyasha who was now glaring at him.

"I don't understand." Toshiro said as Inuyasha gripped his wrist, tossing his blood stained hand away from the gashes on his side. "I thought you wanted me to protect the pack."

Inuyasha wouldn't meet his eyes, busying himself with pulling little bottles out of the yellow bag as he grumbled, "I do."

"Then why are you upset with me?"

Inuyasha motioned for him to take off the ruined t shirt and he did, still waiting for an answer. He didn't get one right away. Inuyasha sprayed something stinging into his wounds and he winced. He dabbed away the drying blood with a fluffy piece of cotton before sticking a large white patch on his side to stop the bleeding. He smeared a strange smelling goo on his ankle, the pain in it numbing a bit as he wrapped what Kagome called an 'ace bandage' around Toshiro's injured ankle, his brows furrowed and his lips downturned. Toshiro got impatient, becoming frustrated that his mentor was pissed off when he'd done what he thought was a good thing.

"Well?" He pressed, flexing his foot when Inuyasha sat back to eye his handy work.

The older hanyou sighed, waiting until he was finished putting away the rest of the medical supplies before he spoke.

"I'm not upset with you." He said, his voice quiet.

"But you yelled at-"

"I yelled at you," He cut the younger hanyou off, his golden eyes bright and hard in the dying sunlight. "Because you put yourself in danger. It was stupid, and . . . I thought you fuckin' died or something when you went slamming into that tree."

Toshiro gasped lowly, his eyes going wide at the revelation. "You were worried about me." He said, his voice disbelieving.

"Keh." Inuyasha grumbled, his ears folded back and his face flushed. He dug into the bag and pulled out another of Toshiro's t-shirts for him to put on, throwing the red shirt into the the younger inu-hanyou's face. "Don't scare me like that again, you little pest."

Toshiro beamed, a warm feeling filling his tummy to the brim as he pulled on his shirt. He nodded to his senior, still unbelieving that Inuyasha had cared enough to fear for his safety. He struggled to follow the older hanyou to his feet, stumbling a bit when his ankle shook. Inuyasha's hand shot out to steady him, latching onto his elbow to keep the pup from falling on his behind. Toshiro shot him another surprised look, trying to smother his grin unsuccessfully at Inuyasha's flushed cheeks.

"Keh. Clumsy pup." Inuyasha grumbled, shouldering the yellow bag and making his way toward their companions who now sat around a fire in the middle of the clearing.

The older hanyou looked to the younger over his shoulder, his voice gruff. "Are you coming pest?"

Toshiro used the tree splattered with his blood to steady himself, taking in the rag tag group of people who kept shooting him smiles across the space between them. Shippou had saved him a seat in their circle, his green eyes huge and grateful to his friend. Miroku smirked at him before responding to something his wife said, her impressed grin making Toshiro uncharacteristically want to thump his fist against his chest. Inuyasha settled into the dirt beside the miko, thumping Shippou on the head for his foolish outburst before he leaned over to whisper something in Kagome's ear. Then she too gave Toshiro a small, proud smile across the clearing. She beckoned to him with her hand at the same time Inuyasha called out again impatiently.

"Let's go, pup!"

Toshiro sighed, the tingling in his stomach spreading to the rest of his body. He'd done a good thing, and he realized with a smile that he'd do it again if it meant that he could keep this warm feeling. It was nothing like he was used to, and he found that he liked it. He pushed himself off of the tree, dimpling at the unimaginable thought that he had saved someone. Even as his side ached and his ankle throbbed from his weight. _He had saved someone._ He limped toward his friends, grinning wider as Miroku got slapped across the face and Inuyasha and Shippou began to bicker. His voice rang out proud and confident for the first time in his life.

"I'm coming!"

 ** _Kaze no Kizu-_ Wind Scar**

 ** _Hiraikostu_ \- Sango's boomerang**

 ** _Shakujou_ \- Miroku's staff**

 **I really, really enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you guys like it.**


	9. Chosen

**Nine**

Shippou was conflicted. As he and his pack moved through the forest he was uncharacteristically quiet as he lost himself in his thoughts.

On one hand he felt shame for his outburst the day before, he'd distracted Inuyasha and the others from the fight and had put them all in danger. He'd cowered when the bear youkai had come for him, and because he had been too terrified to defend himself Toshiro had gotten hurt. But on the other hand a part of him was glad he'd frozen up, not because he was proud of his actions or happy that his friend was hurt -definitely not that- but because the altercation seemed to have given Toshiro a confidence he didn't have before.

Usually during dinner Toshiro would sit a bit apart from the rest of them, he'd eat quietly and watch them with those piercing eyes of his, never saying a word. But last night after Inuyasha had patched him up he'd limped over with a fanged smile, he'd sat down next to Shippou almost happily, and had actually _laughed_ at one of Miroku's stories. Even bruised and bandaged he didn't brood, he didn't scowl, he didn't glare at Shippou for sitting too close or blame him for his wounds. If anything he seemed to be proud of his injuries, more alive than any of the others had seen him thus far. Though he did get irritated when Inuyasha had forbid him from joining the hunting trip for dinner, but he accepted the older hanyou's order with surprisingly little argument as he knew he was in no condition to keep up. The most surprising thing though had been when dinner was done, when the fire had died down to embers and Kagome had sent he and Toshiro to bed.

When they were in the village it'd taken a week to convince Toshiro to sleep in Inuyasha's hut instead of outside at the base of a tree, his back straight against the bark and his ears high and alert even as he slept. He'd refused to be in such an enclosed space with one exit, he'd refused to sleep in the same room as someone else-even if it was Shippou. When Inuyasha had finally convinced him that it'd be safer inside than out still he'd insisted that his bed be as far as possible from the other child.

So it was as Kagome was tucking Shippou into his pallet for the night that Toshiro had shocked them all when he'd hesitantly walked over. He'd met Kagome's eyes, as if afraid he'd be told to go away, and when she'd smiled at him he blushed and crawled onto the pallet beside Shippou, pulling the covers up around his shoulders himself and placing his back against the kit's in an almost protective gesture without a word. The others had collectively stopped breathing, shocked that he'd willingly put himself so closely to another-he _never_ allowed himself to sleep near anyone else. He _never_ allowed anyone but Inuyasha to touch him.

Tears had risen in Kagome's brown eyes, she'd quickly wiped them away before they fell as she'd moved to sit at the base of a nearby tree. Miroku had wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, pulling Sango closer to his side as they watched the boys with almost longing expressions. Inuyasha sat perched in the branches of the tree above Kagome, the corners of his lips tilted up and his eyes moving from the drifting boys to Kagome with a look of almost peace. Shippou had smiled to himself, snuggling deeper into the blankets and curling his tail around Toshiro's injured ankle in a silent thank you.

He'd never had someone his age to look up to, and though he often played with the other village children he was never really close to any of them. Before he'd fallen into comfortable unawareness he couldn't find it in himself to regret his cowardice. If it meant that he and Toshiro would become friends, family, he'd do it again without a second thought. He'd always wanted a big brother.

"Are you listening?" Someone said beside him.

Shippou shook himself, bringing his head back to path they were walking along and the young hanyou who looked at him in annoyance.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly. "What did you say?"

Toshiro rolled his golden eyes. "And Inuyasha calls me absentminded "

Shippou's eyes widened. "Did you actually just make a joke?"

"I'm not made of stone!" Toshiro's cheeks turned pink.

"You could have fooled me."

"I can be funny." The other child grumbled, his ears folding back against his head.

"Oh yeah?" Shippou challenged, his jade eyes gleaming wickedly. "Prove it!"

Toshiro's face hardened in determination. After a moment of glaring at his younger companion he slowly moved to press two clawed fingers to his nose, pushing his nostrils up before he snorted loudly like a pig. Shippou burst into disbelieving laughter, gaining the attention of the adults that walked in front of and behind them. They all smiled at the cackling boy and his still snorting companion without comment, letting them have their moment. Shippou hadn't expected the hanyou to do something so silly and completely out of character. He wiped the corner of his eye and laughed harder when Toshiro's ears folded down to further sell his pig impersonation. When the kitsune was finally able to catch his breath the hanyou looked smug.

"Told you I'm funny." He said as he crossed his arms, his puppy ears twitching as they perked back up.

"Yeah, looking." Shippou grinned a moment before he stopped, suddenly worried he'd offended the other child.

Toshiro smirked at him, no trace of resentment held in his amber eyes. "Says the baka with the bow in his hair."

Shippou laughed again, his tail brushing against the back of Toshiro's legs as it moved happily. He wanted to shove his friend playfully for the jab but he refrained, not willing to push the half-youkai too far. Toshiro had been nice to him all day. He was always polite, but today he was _nice_. Helping Shippou put away his pallet, letting him see his prized picture book that he kept tucked into the waist of his hakama, and actually engaging in conversation instead of Shippou talking constantly at him and receiving only grunts or glares in response. He wasn't about to push him, this new pleasant Toshiro could disappear at the drop of a dime and Shippou had pulled teeth and risked his life to get this far.

"You should start training." Toshiro said conversationally, his arms still folded over his bright red t-shirt.

"Why would I do that?"

The honey color in the hanyou's eyed froze in a second. In less time than it took to blink, all of the hesitant friendliness bled from his eyes to be replaced by a cold, clinical glare.

"You didn't defend yourself yesterday. You were reckless. You were afraid, and allowed that fear to become weakness." He said sternly. "You could have been killed."

Shippou winced, a new wave of shame washing over him.

"You're right . . . I want to, I-I'm just not sure I'd be much of a fighter. I've never been much help in battles besides using my illusions as distractions. I can't even hunt."

"Then train with me and Inuyasha." Toshiro said with a shrug, some of the frigid tenseness fading from the set of his shoulders. "You'll learn. You're more than capable."

"You really think so?" Shippou looked up through his auburn lashes, insecurity swirling in his tummy.

Toshiro glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, his eyes still serious and his voice flat. "I don't say things I don't mean."

"I-I'll think about it." Shippou mumbled uncertainly and looked over his shoulder at Inuyasha, who smirked and gave him a small nod.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

"Shippou wants to train." Inuyasha said lowly to the girl beside him.

She gasped, her brown eyes bright. "How do you know?"

He jerked his chin to the two boys, one beaming and the other with a small smile on his face. Inuyasha had of course heard their entire conversation, and he couldn't deny how proud he felt at Shippou for wanting to step up, and at Toshiro for encouraging him to do so.

"He's unsure still. But he'll do it, and he'll be fine. He just needs to be a little more confident in himself."

"That's great!" Kagome clapped, grinning over at him. "They'll be kicking youkai butt in no time!"

"Don't chew it to death, wench." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He would never admit it but the thought of Shippou and Toshiro facing a youkai, even accompanied by him and the others, set him on edge. They were nowhere near ready to see real battle yet, they were still so vulnerable. "The pest still has trouble with just rabbits, and the runt ain't got no real training at all yet. Let's just get them through this job first. "

"Look at you, being all protective." She grinned, reaching over to tweak his ear and ignoring when he flushed and tried to jerk away. "If I didn't know any better I'd say the big bad hanyou has a soft spot for kids."

"Good thing you know better." He grumbled.

Kagome giggled and Inuyasha reveled in the sound, in the fact that he'd been the one to make her laugh. Something in his chest clenched when she smiled at him. He allowed himself a small smirk, his worry about the pups taking a backseat as he had to physically hold himself back from brushing a flyaway strand of hair from her face. Her shoulder brushed him as they walked, small jolts of electricity shooting through him with each unintentional touch. His instinct to claim her came at the most unexpected times. When she smiled dazedly at him when he pulled her from one of her daydreams, when she cried over the sick and injured, when she yelled at him for something stupid he'd said. His need to provide for her, to protect her, to _have_ her was sometimes almost too much to bare. He fought with himself every day for control, and as they drew on he found it more and more difficult.

The jewel around her neck gleamed in the afternoon light, mocking him. He frowned at it, his hands closing into fists. He tore his gaze away from her with a look of disgust, glaring at the ground and cursing himself and the damn thing keeping him away from his mate. There may have been a time when he'd wanted the jewel for himself, but now he just wanted it gone. Kagome noticed his sudden change in mood and she quieted, her brow creasing in hurt before she too looked away with a small sigh. Inuyasha could smell the sudden salt in the air and he knew she was fighting back tears. Her aura beat against him accusingly, heavy with the weight of his rejection.

This had to stop.

He couldn't keep up this indifferent act much longer. They _needed_ to purify the jewel before he pushed her away one too many times . . . And she decided that he wasn't worth the effort anymore. He almost whined at the thought.

A familiar stink drifted across his nose at the same time Kagome stiffened beside him, her eyes suddenly far away. He felt the youki moving toward them. The contained, arrogant aura that surrounded the youkai causing Inuyasha's own to rear up in agitation. The children had stopped in front of him, Shippou rolling his eyes and Toshiro frozen in what smelled like shock. Inuyasha didn't have time to debate why that was before his bastard of a brother emerged from the trees.

The Lord of the West moved with a grace that annoyed Inuyasha to no end. His armor shone in the patches of sunlight that broke through the trees, his steps careful and measured. His boots somehow made no sound as he crunched through the snow. He walked between Sango and Miroku without a glance at either of them, his imp and human girl at his heels. Jaken looked irritated as usual, his large eyes narrowed. Rin beamed at them all, her eyes especially bright when she looked to Shippou and curious when she took in the still hanyou at his side. Sesshomaru stopped a few feet away from his half brother, his eyes cold and his lip curled.

"Half breed." He said by way of greeting.

Ever since Sesshomaru had assisted them in slaying Naraku, Inuyasha and the dai-youkai had had an uneasy peace. They didn't fight as much, unless the bastard mumbled one too many snide comments or if Inuyasha just felt like getting a rise out of his stupid stoic face. On some occasions the youkai would appear in the village out of the blue, leaving Rin in Inuyasha's and Kagome's care for days and sometimes weeks on end. Though that seemed neglectful to some, Inuyasha knew that Sesshomaru did so to protect her and that him leaving her with them was as close to trusting him as his brother would ever get.

Inuyasha took a step closer to Kagome instinctively, placing a hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt as he nodded. "Bastard."

"What brings your stench into my lands?"

Kagome cleared her throat, "We're going to a village on the southern end. Our helps been requested there."

"Apparently a band of youkai has been abducting their children for weeks." Miroku added from his place beside his wife.

"Hn."

"You guys ain't gotta explain yourself to him. If the bastard was any real Lord we wouldn't have to come here and clean up a mess in his own territory."

Sesshomaru looked down his straight nose at him, his moko-moko sama and long silver white hair flowing in the breeze. "I care not for the matters of humans."

"Keh." Inuyasha stared pointedly at Rin as she and Shippou talked quietly. The kit gestured to Toshiro but he wasn't giving either he or Rin an inkling of his attention. "Coulda fooled me."

When Sesshomaru followed his half brother's line of sight his eyes immediately went not to his ward, but to Toshiro, who still stared wide eyed at the dai-youkai with his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Their gazes held for all of two seconds, but in those two seconds Inuyasha felt Toshiro's youki quiver, smelled fear and anxiety pour off of him in waves. His brother's cheek twitched as he stared at the young hanyou before he turned back to Inuyasha, looking almost bored. Something in his expression made Inuyasha uneasy, the uninterest in his amber eyes almost seeming forced. Before he could ask his bastard of a brother what was eating him the imp at his feet screeched.

"Milord! Milord!" He waved his staff of two heads at Toshiro, who growled dangerously at the small youkai in return. "Isn't that-?!"

Sesshomaru placed a booted foot firmly on the frog youkai's neck, effectively squashing him and cutting off his tirade. Inuyasha raised a brow as the others looked between the hanyou pup and the Inu no Taisho. Toshiro seemed to squirm nervously under their stares, Sesshomaru stared carefully blank eyes at his brother.

"Do you two know each other?" Sango asked, her brown eyes wide and curious.

The dai-youkai scoffed quietly. "Be not a fool. This Sesshomaru knows not such filth."

Inuyasha growled, his curiosity drowning in his sudden fury. "Watch your mouth, before I watch it for you fucker."

"Profanity is used as a means of expression by lesser beings, Inuyasha. So it surprises me not that you'd resort to such uncouth language."

The hand on Tetsusaiga twitched. "Don't you _ever_ insult Toshiro. Try it and I'll rip off your arm again."

"Do you wish to challenge me, baka? Over the honor of a worthless welp?" The Inu no Taisho's demon marking grew jagged, his eyes turned pink. He moved a hand to rest on his own sword, Bakusaiga. "If you think so little of your life, This Sesshomaru will end it for you."

Inuyasha felt his hackles rise. He didn't care if his ass of a brother insulted him, but at the disrespect of Toshiro something deep inside him called for blood. He felt red begin to bleed into his eyes with the beat of his heart, his markings surface on his skin. His youkai demanded retribution for the slight against it's kin. No one insulted what belonged to Inuyasha. Not his mate, not one of his pups. The beast inside of him paced angrily, begging to be released and to tear into who had dared disrespect what it'd claimed. His grip tightened on his fang, his lips pulled back to bare his lengthened fangs. Before he could draw his sword Kagome stepped in front of him, blocking his way to his brother and making the feral thing inside of him all the more furious.

"Cut it out, you two!" She demanded, whipping her hand back and forth to glare at each brother and placing a hand on both of their chests, attempting to push them apart.

Neither moved an inch.

Inuyasha felt the fire in his blood magnify, every thought leaving his mind as his eyes zeroed in on Kagome's hand.

"Stop touching him." He snarled dangerously.

Kagome looked up at him in confusion, her hand clenching slightly into the inu youkai's haori. Inuyasha growled and Sesshomaru looked slightly disgusted.

"Do listen to the baka. Touch not This Sesshomaru unless you wish to lose that hand, miko."

"The fuck did you just say to her?!" Inuyasha roared, gripping the hand still resting on his chest and yanking Kagome behind his back. "What, she's not good enough to touch you or somethin?!"

Amusement and . . . Satisfaction? Lit in Sesshomaru's eyes. His eyes faded back to their usual distant gold, the duel youkai markings on each of his cheeks returning to their usual shape. "You contradict yourself, half breed." He turned on his heel and headed back toward the shadow of the trees, his voice dismissing. "Do what you must and then remove yourself from my lands."

"Oi! We ain't done! Get back here and fight me, bastard!" Inuyasha raved, Kagome holding onto the sleeve of his haori in order to keep in from lunging at Sesshomaru's retreating back. His youkai calmed despite his tone with his brother's distance, his eyes turned back to their bright amber, the purple markings on his cheeks melting back into his skin.

Miroku and Sango watched in amusement as the dai-youkai passed them without a backward glance at his brother. Rin threw her arms around the neck of a blushing Shippou in goodbye, turning next to the stunned Toshiro prepared to do the same to him. Seconds before she crushed him into a hug as well Sesshomaru called out to her.

"Rin. Come."

Toshiro seemed to snap out of his daze at the Inu no Taisho's voice. He jerked back from Rin's outstretched arms as if she were about to attack him, his eyes wide and flickering from the girl to Sesshomaru.

"But I was saying goodbye to Tosh-"

"Now, Rin."

The little girl deflated, "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru."

She followed after him, looking over her shoulder at Toshiro with confusion in her eyes. Jaken pulled himself from the snow, his staff waving around frantically as he ran to keep up with his lord.

"Milord! Milord! Please, don't leave me!"

And then they were gone, Inuyasha left struggling to reel in his temper. Kagome's grip on his arm tightened, her touch doing nothing to calm him for once. In his mind's eye he saw her hand resting on his brother's chest and felt an unreasonable rage. He whirled on her, forgetting that his friends and the children were but a few feet away.

"Why'd you have to get in the middle of it, wench?" He barked at her. "You shouldn't have gotten involved."

"I was trying to help." Her cheeks burst in color at his tone, her hands going to rest on her hips. "Why do you always have to fight with him?"

"Why'd you have to touch him!?"

"Why do you care?!" She yelled back.

"Keh!" He turned from her, crossing his arms over his chest and his nose turned toward the sky.

"Baka!" Kagome fumed at his back, stomping a foot angrily before she walked in the opposite direction Sesshomaru had taken. "We don't have time for this."

Sango cast Inuyasha an exasperated look before she jogged to catch up to her best friend, wrapping an arm around the smaller woman's shoulders. Miroku made his way to Inuyasha's side, a small smirk on his face.

"Do you think that was completely necessary, Inuyasha? She was only trying to keep peace between you and your brother."

Said hanyou gave the monk a death glare. "Save your infinite wisdom, lech. I don't want to hear it."

He stomped off after the women leaving the amused Miroku, still blushing Shippou, and the brooding Toshiro to trail after him.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

The peace and quiet happiness that had filled everyone from the morning had disappeared by days end. Since Sesshomaru's appearance Inuyasha and Kagome hadn't spoken a word to each other, Kagome choosing to walk ahead of the group with Sango and leaving Inuyasha grumbling beside his best friend to bring up the rear. Shippou was used to them fighting, and he knew that their silly spats never lasted and that they'd be back to normal in a day or two. What worried him was the sudden change he saw in Toshiro. Ever since the dai-youkai had shown up his friend had again become stiff, formal, cold. He'd shunned all attempts at conversation since Sesshomaru's departure, and when Shippou had accidentally brushed his tail against him as they set up camp for the night Toshiro had glared down at his appendage like he'd wanted to bite it off. The kitsune figured that maybe Toshiro had been afraid of the Inu no Taisho, and had tried to assure him that he'd have nothing to be afraid of from him as long as the others were around.

"He's really not so bad." He'd said to the silent hanyou as they'd walked earlier. "He seems like a jerk -well, he is a jerk- but Kagome and Inuyasha would never let him hurt us. You don't have to be afraid of-"

The hanyou had spun on him, his eyes golden fire and his top lip pulled back over his fangs. "I'm not afraid of him."

Shippou had taken a step back, "O-okay."

The malice in his aura and the smell of fear in his scent had told him that Toshiro was definitely afraid of something, whether it was Sesshomaru or something else entirely. They spent the rest of the day's journey in uncomfortable silence, Toshiro glaring at ground, his ears never lifting from his ebony head. Now they were gathered around a fire in a clearing, only a day's travel from the village they were requested to help. Miroku and Sango sat beside Shippou, their heads bent together and their voices low hums. They were the only ones it seemed who were more or less unaffected by the anger and frustration that came off of their companions. Inuyasha had went hunting on his own again, dropping the meat at Kagome's feet upon his return before he bounded into a nearby tree to glare at the setting sun. Kagome cooked and distributed the meals without a word, sitting beside Shippou with her food and her back to Inuyasha. Toshiro sat across the fire, his legs and arms crossed and his clawed fingers tapping restlessly against his bicep. His food sat untouched in front of him. His face was screwed up, his brows furrowed as he glared at the fire unseeingly.

Shippou sighed, placing his barely eaten meal at his feet before he pulled his legs to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. Was it something he did? Why was Toshiro so standoff-ish again? Maybe he really had been offended by Shippou's earlier joke. Or maybe he was upset that Rin had tried to touch him earlier. But that wasn't really her fault, she didn't know that he didn't like to be touched. Shippou watched the older boy through the crackling of the flames that separated them, wanting more than anything to go sit beside and talk to his friend but afraid he'd just piss him off more. The kitsune sighed quietly again just as the monk beside him spoke up.

"Anyone want to tell a story tonight?"

No one spoke. Sango smiled encouragingly at her husband before she cleared her throat. Everyone turned eyes to her, weary for their own reasons but expectant.

"Have I ever told you the story of how Kohaku and I defeated a dragon youkai in the Eastern lands?"

Murmured no's echoed around the clearing. Miroku wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and she leaned against him as everyone waited for her to begin, but before she could Toshiro spoke up across from them.

"Who's Kohaku?" He asked numbly, reds and yellows from the fire and setting sun reflecting in his eyes. It was the first thing he'd said since before their encounter with Sesshomaru. Not even a bad mood seemed capable of quelling the hanyou's curiosity.

Sango smiled warmly at him, causing the hanyou to blush lightly though his frustrated expression did not change.

"He's my brother. He's currently traveling, working as a taijia himself."

"Why isn't he with you?"

"He prefers the open road, discovering new lands as he helps people. We used to travel a lot, but since we've beaten Naraku we don't do so nearly as much. He's too much of a free spirit to be held in any village."

Toshiro nodded at her, accepting her explanation without another word. As Sango began her story Shippou couldn't seem to be able to take his eyes off of the young hanyou. Something was off with him. The hanyou being rude, he could tolerate. Angry, he could stand. But this frustration, this nervousness, this . . . Fear was unlike what Shippou had become used to. Toshiro didn't even seem to be listening to the story, his eyes leaving Sango every few seconds to glare in one direction or another, his fingers beating almost constantly against his arm, the black puppy ears atop his head twitching irritably. It wasn't until the sun finally disappeared behind the trees that his movements stopped all together.

No one but the kitsune seemed to see Toshiro stiffen, no one saw his eyes change color quickly before settling back on a fearful gold. No one but Inuyasha would be able to smell the sudden anxiety exuding from the young hanyou. Shippou glanced up at his father figure and saw that he too was now looking at Toshiro, a grim understanding in his eyes. When the younger half youkai's eyes changed again he rose quickly from his spot in the dirt, stumbling a little. Sango's story died on her lips as everyone looked to the Toshiro, confused. He gulped visibly, the smell of fear coming off of him spiking before he took off into the trees as fast as he could, his injured ankle hardly deterring him.

"Toshiro! Where are you going?" Kagome called out, moving onto her knees and reaching out a hand as if she could pull him back.

Inuyasha dropped out of his tree, landing lightly next to the miko on the balls of his feet. "Let him go, wench." He said seriously.

"Was it something I said?" Sango asked worriedly, her sharp eyes scanning the tree line for the little hanyou.

Shippou rose to his feet, his paws carrying him a few unsure steps toward where the other boy had disappeared. He couldn't be out there alone, it was way too dangerous and he didn't even take a weapon. The adults around him continued to question one another, the kitsune hardly hearing their words through the worry twisting in his stomach.

"Why did he run off?"

"Where'd he go?"

"It's getting dark, Inuyasha. What if he gets hurt?"

"One of us should go after him, right?"

They continued to toss questions between them. Inuyasha said nothing, meeting Shippou's eyes across the clearing before nodding slightly to him. The kit's green eyes hardened in determination. While the others were distracted he quickly grabbed Sango's wakizashi from where it lay in the snow and took off after the other boy. As he made it into the cover of the trees Inuyasha's steady voice reached him.

"Toshiro hasn't gone far. Shippou will handle it."

And he would. His grip tightened on the blade in his hand, and he swore to himself as he sniffed out his friend that tonight _he_ would be the one to protect Toshiro. He would be the one to keep the bad things away, he would be the one to offer reassurance to his friend during his night of vulnerability.

Shippou's nose led him to a small cave not a quarter mile away from their camp, and inside he felt Toshiro's weak youki, becoming harder and harder to sense as the half moon rose in the sky. The kitsune padded carefully to the mouth of the cave, sniffing around for any predators before he stood at it's entrance, staring into the darkness.

"Toshiro?"

He heard a gasp from inside the cave, and the smack of bare feet against rock before his friend came partially into the light. Half of his face showed, the other shrouded in shadow, one dark blue eye blazing in fury. His dog ears were gone, small human ears just visible under his black hair. He bared his teeth at the other boy in warning even though his fangs were no longer there. When he spoke he sounded the most angry Shippou had ever heard him.

"What are you doing here?"

Shippou moved from foot to foot uncomfortably, suddenly feeling silly with Sango's weapon. When he didn't speak Toshiro's cobalt eye darted to the blade in his hand, then back up to his face in suspicion. Hard blue met panicked green.

"You've come to kill me, then? Is that why you're here? I can promise you that just because I'm human doesn't mean I'll be an easy target! I'll-"

"No! No, no you've got it all wrong!" Shippou waved his hands in front of him, the wakizashi glittering in the moonlight. "Why would you think something like that?"

"So why, then?" Toshiro growled, ignoring his question.

"To . . . To protect you." Shippou mumbled.

"Tch. Speak up, kitsune! I can't hear as well with these stupid human ears."

Shippou straightened his spine, his grip tightening again around his borrowed sword's hilt. "I said I'm going to protect you."

The blue eye widened slightly. The scowl on the older boys softened a fraction. He didn't speak for a long time, and when he did it was a quiet, almost whispered word.

"Why?"

"B-because," Shippou blushed, swallowing back his hesitation. He reached his free hand up to tug on a pointed ear, kicking a paw at the small rocks at his feet. "Because I owe you. And because I'm your friend . . . Because you're my brother."

He watched as several emotions flit across Toshiro's one visible eye; shock, suspicion, hope, fear, happiness, reluctance. He then glared quickly, accusingly, up at the moon before he turned and went back into the darkness of his cave. Shippou sighed, taking his silence as acceptance before he sank to the cold ground just inside the cave's entrance, his back to its opening and his sword laid across his lap.

He kept himself awake and alert, determined to be ready to attack at any moment should someone or something tried to come for his friend. Nocturnal youkai and animals hunted for their breakfast, thankfully never coming too close to where the boys hid. If Shippou concentrated he could still hear the crackling of their camp fire, the low hum of the voices of his family. The twinge of uncertainty he felt at his ability to protect himself and Toshiro disappeared knowing that they were close by. The night creatures calling to one another and the labored, unsteady breathing of the hanyou at his back was all Shippou heard for hours. When Toshiro's breathing finally evened out Shippou thought that he'd fallen asleep, but his voice rang out from the darkness of the cave, soft and quiet.

"You called me your brother."

Shippou nodded, keeping his eyes on the trees as he spoke. "That's what I've started to view you as. That's what I hope you'll become."

Toshiro's breathing hitched. " . . . You barely even know me."

The kit released a white puff into the cold night as he sighed. "I want to know you. I want you to know me."

"Why . . ."

Shippou shrugged. "Everyone needs someone."

"And what makes you think I have no one? What makes you think I want to know you." Toshiro snapped, his voice sharper than the edge of the wakizashi Shippou held in his grasp. "What makes you even think I need you here now? I didn't ask you to come. I don't need you to look out for me, to _protect_ me. I don't need anyone."

Shippou scoffed quietly. "You forgot tonight was your human night."

A pause. "How did you kn-?"

"You acted all weird when Sesshomaru showed up." Shippou cut in, stretching his legs out in front of him. "I still don't know what that was about-but anyway, you got all spacey, and jerky, and lost in your head like I've realized you do when you're upset. You got that stupid pucker in your forehead and you growled at me whenever I tried to talk to you. You were so stuck thinking about whatever the heck you were thinking about, you forgot it was your night of vulnerability until literally the last minute. And you called me reckless."

The other boy didn't respond. Just the sounds of his breathing and the whistle of wind through branches met the kitsune's ears for a long time. Shippou's tail swished behind him patiently, gliding against the cold rock of the cave. He felt the presence at his back come closer, the warmth of the body behind him scoot nearer to the mouth of the cave.

"You're right." The hanyou said finally. "Sometimes I get so . . ."

"Distracted?"

"Tch."

Shippou smiled to himself. He knew he was right. As observant as the hanyou was, as quick thinking, he got distracted by his own thoughts more than anything. And to a hanyou . . . Being unfocused could mean your life. Shippou felt fear shoot through him, along with a vicious protectiveness. What if someone came after him while he wasn't paying attention? What if his absentmindedness cost him his life? Shippou wouldn't allow it. He promised himself then that he'd get stronger, he'd protect his friend on the one night he was unable to protect himself.

Shippou cleared his throat. "How about you let me look out for you on half moon nights, and I'll agree to train with you and Inuyasha?"

"I don't need you to-"

"Yeah, I know." Why did he have to be so difficult? "I know you don't need me to protect you. But wouldn't you feel better knowing someone had your back on nights like this? I know I would."

The warmth at his back moved closer. "I don't see what I get out of this deal. You get the training and I get what? To be indebted to you?"

Shippou rolled his eyes. "Are you always such a pain?"

"Yes." Toshiro said seriously.

"Well you can either agree, or I can just follow you on half moon nights and annoy you until the sun comes up."

Toshiro then moved to sit behind Shippou, moving the still swishing tail out of his way as he plopped back to the ground, pressing his back up against the other boy like he had the night before.

"Tch." A yawn. "You do that anyway."

Shippou chuckled, pushing back against his chosen brother and smiling to himself when he pushed back. They stayed that way all night, covering each other's back, and for the first time Shippou felt needed. When the taller boy's head lolled against him in eventual sleep Shippou knew that while he didn't regret his cowardice from the day before, that he'd never allow himself to be in that situation again. He would become stronger, he would protect his family no matter what.

For a less than a second during the night Shippou thought he'd sensed another youki close by, a familiar one, but it was gone in less than a breathe and he shrugged it off to his imagination. He straightened his spine no less, his ears and nose straining to sweep the area around him. His eyes stayed wide open all night, letting the older boy rest against him and his hand on the wakizashi's hilt until the sun rose.


	10. Not That Person Anymore

**Ten**

Inuyasha had stayed up all night, uncomfortable with the pups being out of his sight even though he could clearly smell them, hear their low voices, not even a half mile away from camp. So as Kagome had crawled onto her pallet, curling toward the warmth of the fire, Inuyasha had taken his place at her back, arms and legs crossed on the cold ground, ears high and on alert against anything that went bump in the night. He'd been tense, his body wound tightly and ready to spring into a run at any moment should the boys get themselves into trouble.

He had known that the pups were safe, that there wasn't a creature around that would challenge his agitated youki. It crackled and pulsed all throughout the night, anxious to ensure the safety of its kin. The only disturbance had been when he'd felt his brother's youki nearby, but it'd faded in less than a minute. Inuyasha figured that the inu youkai had been patrolling-these were his lands after all. Inuyasha's youkai urged him to go check on the pups, just in case, but his human side knew that he was being paranoid and that the boys needed this time, that the fact that Shippou had not ran crying back to camp meant that Toshiro had allowed the other boy to stay, to share a very vulnerable part of himself with another. That was monumental in and of itself. Inuyasha had never shared his human night with anyone but his mother, not even with Kikyo, until of course Kagome came along.

He sighed.

He knew he'd been an ass to her, so he was grateful that Kagome hadn't shooed him away from her side when she'd crawled into her blankets the night before. He wouldn't have gone anyway, but still he was relieved. Saved him from another argument.

It was just something about seeing her touch his brother so familiarly . . . it still made him grind his teeth. She _should not_ have touched him that way, shouldn't have touched him at all. She didn't belong to him. _He_ was the only one she was supposed to touch so comfortably, but Inuyasha was too much of a coward to stake his claim. It was his own fault, and it was his own uncertainty that kept him from marking her. He was sure his brother knew that she was his, he was sure that the inu youkai would never disrespect him that way by trying anything . . . But still. Seeing them touch was enough to send hiz youkai on a rampage. He knew he was unjustified in his anger, that it was unreasonable, but that didn't stop him from being an ass.

He sighed again as he caught the small pig he'd been hunting, killing it in one clean swipe. He gutted and cleaned robotically as the sun rose, in a hurry to bring breakfast back to camp so that he could be there when his pups got back.

He froze, claws raised over the pig carcass.

When had he started to think of the brats as his own? He vaguely remembered when his youkai had surfaced the day before, when that feral part of him had claimed the pups as its own to defend. He supposed they were his in a sense; he fed them, and protected them, and made sure they were clothed . . . But was he ready to take on the responsibility of two pups? Could he? . . . Hadn't he already been doing that? For the past five years he'd taken care of Shippou, he'd taught him right from wrong, taught the runt to read and write, taught him to respect those who deserved respect, to defend those who couldn't defend themselves. For the past month he'd tried to do the same with Toshiro.

He never thought he would be a father-he'd never thought he'd live long enough to even entertain the idea. He'd spent a large part of his life running from youkai, fighting off those who wanted to kill him simply because he was born. He had always assumed that he'd be dead before he was ever given the chance to find a mate and settle down. He never allowed himself to imagine having pups of his own, a family of his own.

He did so as he walked back to camp, his kill thrown over his shoulder. In his mind's eye he saw Kagome, seated by their hut's fire, a hand resting gently on her destinded belly. She smiled lovingly at the two boys seated across from her, one with black puppy ears held high, the other with a red tail flicking happily. The image warmed his chest.

After Mother died he hadn't found anything truly worth living for, hadn't had anything worth protecting until Kikyo. Until Kagome he hadn't cared about taking risks in his fights, never cared about making it back home. He hadn't even had a home. Until Shippou -and now Toshiro- he had never felt the protectiveness that encompassed him now. He worried for the kit, he worried for the hanyou pup they'd found. What would happen if he was finally struck down? Who would teach the pups how to fight, how to hunt, how to protect themselves and those they loved? He was responsible for the them, it was his job to make sure he stuck around to ensure they grew up to be the men they were meant to be. He felt the weight of this new responsibility settle heavily on his shoulders.

He wouldn't fail them.

He broke through the tree line and was brought up short by what he saw; Kagome, kneeling by the remains of the fire, smirking down at the two boys who sat attentively in front of her as she explained how to pronounce a word in the children's book she held in her hands. It was almost like his daydream, except where his pup should have been growing, her stomach was flat and toned beneath the bulk of her pink pull over. The instinct to claim her assaulted him again as she responded sweetly to something Shippou said. Inuyasha suddenly wanted more than anything to grab her up and run off to where no one could find them, to mark her as his own.

Her soft brown eyes met his wide ones over the children's heads, and she smiled hesitantly at him. He stared back, the gold in his eyes smoldering and begging at the same time, begging her to forgive his idiotic outburst from the day before, begging her to understand that he needed her, begging her not to give up on him. She nodded minutely and he knew he was more or less understood, he knew that if anything else he was forgiven.

He grunted a good morning to the monk and taijia who came from the opposite side of the clearing, arms full of firewood and faces blazing. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, trying his hardest not to imagine what they could have been doing out in the woods for his best friend to have that stupid grin on his face.

"It's a good morning indeed." The lech hummed, placing his wood next to the pit before taking the rest from his still blushing wife.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Pervert."

He made it to the trio seated in the grass just as Kagome put the children's book down, he hunkered down beside her as she ended her lesson with the pups.

"That's all the for now, boys." She smiled when Toshiro snatched the book up from its place in the dirt. "We'll be heading into the village for our job today, so we won't be having another reading lesson until it's over."

Shippou nodded, used to the routine. Toshiro still stared down at the book in his hands, a look of intense concentration on his round face.

"Can Shippou help me until breakfast is finished? I want to be able to get through this book on my own." He turned dark golden eyes up to Kagome. "Please?"

Kagome blinked at him. "S-sure. If Shippou wouldn't mind . . .?"

She looked to the kit, who gave a fanged smile and bumped his shoulder with the taller boy's beside him.

"I don't mind! You've been doing really well, nii-san. We can go over it during our walk to the village too."

The smaller hanyou blushed but said nothing, nodding to the kit before they both rose to settle again a little whiles away. Inuyasha stared wide eyes at the two boys, at how comfortable they seemed with one another. Shippou sat crossed legged in front of the hanyou, holding the book up as Kagome had, a comically serious look on his face as he began at the beginning again. Toshiro crossed his legs and placed his clawed hands to rest on them, his brows furrowed and eyes focused. They paid no mind to the gaping adults.

"Did I just hear Shippou call him-?"

"Yeah." Kagome cut Sango off, her eyes watering. "Yeah, you did."

Inuyasha smirked at the pups, the warm feeling returning to his chest. His pups. He flicked his gaze to the still smiling woman beside him-his mate. His family. The jewel winked at him and he bit back a growl. Not his, not yet. He shoved his kill into Kagome's hands.

"Get cookin', wench." He huffed before he rose himself and bounded into the tree nearest the boys to watch them.

The miko rolled her eyes, a small laugh in her voice. "Whatever, Dog-boy."

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

"No, but good try. 'H' is silent in rhyme, so you don't have to pronounce it."

Toshiro nodded, committing the information to memory. "Like in the word 'honest'."

"Exactly!" Shippou beamed.

They'd been going over the story page by page repeatedly ever since they'd left the campsite this morning. Shippou was a surprisingly good teacher, Toshiro thought. He was patient. His often flippant mood mellowed during his role as instructor, taking his job to aid his chosen brother seriously. And he never got offended when Toshiro's frustration got the better of him. He let the hanyou figure things out on his own, lending a hand when needed but never being overbearing. Toshiro appreciated it immensely. He knew he wasn't the easiest student, but Shippou and the miko never got upset with him. Neither they nor Inuyasha belittled him for not knowing the things someone his age ought to know, they didn't mock him when he made mistakes.

He was suddenly flashed back to a cold, dark room.

 _The tatters of his shirt stuck to him like a second skin, his cheek swollen from when he'd been back handed across the room. His ear wept red into his dirty hair familiarly, dripping down his face to mix with the blood flowing from the cuts along his bird like chest._

 _He panted, recovering from the blow to the head he'd gotten for crying out. His arms shook from holding up his weight, but he refused to collapse. Not yet-there was something he wanted. Something he needed to ask. He knew that he shouldn't, he knew that he was too stupid for it, that he wouldn't understand anything, but still he wanted it. He knew that he'd be punished for asking, but still he had to. He turned dull eyes to the remaining youkai in his room-the others had gone about their day after dishing out their daily dose of torture._

 _"Can I have a book?" He mumbled, downcasting his eyes quickly when the man turned to look back at him._

 _"What on earth do you want a book for?" The inu youkai chuckled, rubbing his red stained knuckles on his haori carelessly. "You can't even read."_

 _"I-I'd like to learn." His voice was small, he kept his eyes on the boots of the figure who towered over him. "Other children can read."_

 _The black boots marched up to where he kneeled, still shaking on his hands and knees. Toshiro winced when a sharp clawed hand grasped at his face, pushing into his bruises as he was forced to meet the eyes of his tormentor. The inu youkai glared scornful golden eyes at him, his top lip curled in disgust. Strands of his dark brown hair had escaped his low ponytail, sticking to the green youkai markings on his face with sweat. When Toshiro whimpered the claws on his cheeks pressed in harder, breaking skin and making the ever present smell of blood in the room all the more potent._

 _"You are not other children." Orochi sneered, his breath hot on the small hanyou's face. "You are barely even a person. You are a maggot. A worthless maggot, who only breathes because Lady Katsumi wills it so. Maggots do not need to know how to read. They need only to be parasites, to gorge themselves off of the backs of others."_

 _Toshiro was tossed dismissively onto his dirty blanket, the only thing in his small room not soaked completely in his blood. He cowered into it as Orochi approached him again, placing a booted foot firmly on one of his hands. The armored inu youkai pressed his weight down and smirked when he heard the just healed bones in Toshiro's hand snap under him. Toshiro bit down into his lip, willing himself not to cry out, knowing that he'd be beaten all over again if he did._

 _"Do not ask for such a silly thing." Orochi raised his foot, looking smug. "Remember your place. If this happens again I'll be sure to make Lady Katsumi aware, we both know she can do much worse that I."_

 _"Yes, sir." Toshiro mumbled, bringing his broken hand to his chest and casting his eyes down respectfully._

 _"Good maggot." The inu youkai cooed mockingly, making his way out into the lit hall._

 _Toshiro exhaled shakily when the door slammed so hard the small lantern on the wall fell, shattering into little pieces and plunging him into darkness. He dug under the grey, hole filled blanket beneath him with his uninjured hand, pulling the piece of parchment no larger than his palm from where it was hidden. Luckily there was no blood on it. He set the small painting carefully beside him as he curled on his side, staring at the beautiful woman with the crimson hair like he did every night. He closed his eyes and pretended he was anywhere else. He pretended that his mother was alive, that he would one day escape from this hell, that there was more to life than beatings and blood. All of these things, of course, were untrue._

"Are you listening, big brother?"

Toshiro blinked, momentarily surprised when he found himself under a bright sun instead of a cracked ceiling.

"Sorry . . . " He mumbled, scratching his cut ear as he tried to shake the memory away. "I'm listening now."

Instead of continuing with the next line of the story, Shippou tilted his head at the other boy. "You ok? You're lookin kinda pale."

"Tch. I'm fine."

"You sure?" Shippou looked behind them to the miko and Inuyasha. "Kagome has medicine in her bag. It's gross, but it helps if you're stomach is u-"

"I said I'm fine, Shippou." Toshiro said a little harder than he intended.

Guilt washed over him at the flash of hurt in the jade eyes of the smaller boy. He needed to work on being nicer to the kit, he was supposed to be his older brother now, not a jerk.

"I'm sorry, kitsune." Toshiro sighed. "I just got caught up in my head again."

Shippou nodded understandably. But he didn't understand, Toshiro thought, no one did. No one ever would. He pushed the memory away again, determined not to let his past life spoil his new one. He wasn't that person anymore, he never wanted to be that person again. Before he could tell the shorter boy to continue his lesson something small and sharp pricked Toshiro's neck, causing him to slap against the skin there in irritation.

"What the hell?"

He looked at the palm of his hand where a small flea youkai with grey hair was flattened. The little youkai puffed back to it's normal size, grinning up at the hanyou and waving two of it's arms.

"Salutations." It said.

"Myouga," Shippou rolled his eyes. "Did you have to stick him?"

"You know this thing?" Toshiro held the little youkai between two fingers, flexing them and ignoring when the flea squeaked in protest. "Can I kill it?"

"No! Please don't!" The flea cried, little drops of sweat forming on the top of his bald head. "I was merely saying hello!"

"By sucking my blood?" Toshiro raised a black brow, flexing his fingers again. "That's rude."

"In my defence, you are rather tasty . . ."

"Oi! What's going on?"

Inuyasha sauntered up to where the boys had stopped, his arms folded into the sleeves of his haori. The rest of the pack followed suit until Shippou and Toshiro were surrounded by the adults, the still squirming flea held tightly in the young hanyou's grip.

"This thing bit me." Toshiro held the old youkai out for Inuyasha to inspect.

"Lord Inuyasha! Save me!"

"Keh! You should learn to keep your dirty stinger to yourself." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You're lucky the pup didn't squash you."

"I could not help myself!" Myouga wailed. "He looked so appetizing! And his blood, my Lord! I've never tasted anything like it! It's so-"

Toshiro flicked the flea into a nearby pile of snow, a dismissing, "Tch." leaving him as he did.

"Serves you right." Shippou smirked.

Kagome giggled into her hand as Inuyasha plucked the grumbling little youkai out of the snow, settling into a squat and plopping the saturated youkai into the palm of his hand.

"Was there something you wanted, Myouga? Besides to irritate Toshiro."

"Can I kill him?" Toshiro asked again, his eyes trained on the trembling flea youkai with laser focus.

"He's our friend, pest. We don't kill our friends." Inuyasha reached over to flick Toshiro's nose with the index finger of his free hand. "No matter how annoying."

Toshiro crossed his eyes, looking down at the tip of his nose with a disgruntled frown. His ears folded back against his head against his will. His cheeks flamed. He didn't know why, but that poke at his nose bothered him more than ten thumps to the head. He felt scolded, as if he'd been punished. Why did he suddenly feel . . . Ashamed? Why did he feel like he wanted to-to cry? That was ridiculous. It made no sense. He would not cry because of a stupid pluck to the nose . . . Yet still he felt he wanted to. Toshiro forced back the unreasonable stinging in his eyes when he heard Inuyasha speak again.

"Why are you here, Myouga?"

The flea bounced anxiously. "To warn you, my Lord!"

"About?" Inuyasha growled impatiently. "We don't have time for a guessing game, we've gotta get to the village!"

"This is _about_ the village, sire! I have come to learn the nature of the youkai causing trouble. They are hyenas."

"Hyenas?" Miroku repeated, taking a step closer.

The flea nodded his shining head. "Yes. It appears that a clan of hyenas has migrated to the Western Lands in search of new prey. They stirred up quite a bit of trouble in the East, attacking human villages in attempts to kidnap their young before being driven out by Kouga and his pack." Inuyasha growled at the mention of the wolf. "Their alpha is a ruthless female by the name of Leiko."

"Why the fixation with human children?" Sango asked, her arms crossed under her chest, her face hard.

"It is said that she likes to collect them in large quantity, sometimes keeping them for days before she devours them." Myouga said grimly. "She feasts on the young ones and leaves the scraps to her subordinates to fight over. She is a cold and deadly youkai. She is rumored to have even killed her own cubs, along with her mate."

"When was the last attack on the village?" Sango asked, all business.

"Approximately four days ago." Myouga said. "She sends out her clan to attack at night, they bring the victims to her lair. It is rare that she shows herself, she relies on her men to do her dirty work."

"How long does Leiko usually keep the children before she hurts them?" Kagome's eyes widened fearfully.

"I've heard that she keeps them alive up to five days."

Kagome gasped, a fire igniting in her brown eyes. "We may still have a chance, we don't have much time. We have to stop her!"

"We will." Inuyasha rose from his crouch, his free hand closing around Tetsuaiga's hilt. He dropped the little youkai on his shoulder, where he he sat with his legs crossed. "She ain't gonna live much longer to hurt anyone else."

Everyone nodded fierce agreements, Toshiro along with the rest of the pack. His stomach turned in revulsion at the thought of someone preying on unsuspecting, innocent children. Toshiro had been that child. And he had been told that he deserved it. Had been taught that the feeble ought to be prey, that their weakness deemed them no better than dirt, that it was the duty of the strong and able to torment those who could not defend themselves. A month with Inuyasha and his pack and Toshiro knew that everything he'd been taught was a lie. Orochi's twisted grin flashed in his mind's eye and he felt his fury rise all the more.

The pack started moving again, walking quickly through the foliage with newfound purpose. The adults talked battle strategy while Toshiro fumed over how stupid he'd been to believe Katsumi all those years.

"Myouga, where are they holding up? I know you know." Inuyasha said eventually, everyone struggling to keep up with his long legged strides.

The flea gasped the silver hair beside him to keep from falling off. "I actually don't know, my Lord. That was the bit of information I was unable to acquire. I know only that their base is to the North of the current village they have been harassing."

"Fat lot of use you are."

"Such disrespect! I'll have you know that I worked my thorax off for the information I was able to get!"

"Keh."

They reached the village in record time, the sun still in the sky when it came into view. Tired looking women worked in the rice fields, sending wary looks their way as they walked along the long road to the village. Whispers followed them all the way to the it's center.

A crowd had formed, women pushing frightened children behind their backs, hard faced men standing in front them. Toshiro felt unease rise in him. Too many unfamiliar faces, too much tension, too many people glaring at them. Children pointed at his ears behind their mothers, whispering to one another. He bared his teeth reflexively, and then struggled to calm himself when he saw that the rest of Inuyasha's pack were relaxed and stoic. Inuyasha stood at the head of the pack, the miko at his side. The monk and taijia flanked them, Shippou and himself standing in between the two pairs protectively.

A short, grey haired man made a noise in the back of his throat and the humans quieted. They parted their crowd, making a path for the old, frail man. The wrinkles in his forehead weighed down his eyes, he held himself up by an old walking stick.

When he stopped in front of Inuyasha and Kagome he bowed low.

"You must be our saviors." He said in a gravely voice. "Please excuse my people's suspicion, we have suffered many nights at the hands of strangers."

"We understand. We mean you and your people no harm, I assure you." The miko bowed in return, her voice taking on a soft tone that Toshiro found oddly comforting.

The old man nodded. "I am the headman of this village, Futoshi."

The rest of the pack murmured hellos, all except Inuyasha who stared critical eyes around the village. Toshiro didn't speak, because Inuyasha hadn't.

"My granddaughter is among the the children that were captured four days past." The elder continued, his voice raw. "My daughter is stricken with grief and will not come from her bedchamber. She has begun mourning already, but I believe that Emiko still lives. Please, return them to us."

The villagers gathered around the headman murmured quiet pleas moments before men, women, and children bowed low to them. When they rose they all looked to the pack with wide, hopeful eyes. Toshiro felt uncomfortable with the attention, his ears flicking and face heating. He glanced at Inuyasha and saw that he was more or less unfazed by the recognition, and worked to school his own features into one of focus as well when his mentor spoke up.

"Old man," The larger hanyou said. "If we're going to get them back we have to move now. Do you know where the youkai lair is located?"

The headman scratched his grey head. "I know only that they take the children North of here. I do have a piece of armor from one of the youkai, a scrap that one of my men managed to acquire while fending them off. I am sorry I cannot be of more help."

"Keh." Inuyasha growled as he accepted the cloth, quieting when Kagome placed a hand on his arm.

"Don't worry, we have enough to work with. Thank you." She said.

"Thank _you,_ Priestess." He said sincerely. "We will leave you to your work. Should you need anything please do not hesitate to find me."

The crowd dispersed, going about their daily tasks with a little more vigor now that help had arrived. Villagers smiled at them when they passed, children waved to Shippou and Toshiro.

Shippou waved back, Toshiro didn't.

"Since no one knows the whereabouts of the youkai base, I think it's best if we split up." Sango said as the pack turned into a huddle.

Miroku nodded his assent, a hand resting on his chin in thought. "We should scour the surrounding area and meet back here in an hour. If Sango, Kagome and I search with Shippou, Toshiro, and you, we could cover a larger area with three pairs and use your senses of smell to track the hyenas. What do you think, Inuyasha?"

"Fine with me." The larger hanyou grunted, nose still pressed to the armor. "But one hour and no less, the sun will be setting soon and we shouldn't stay separated in unknown territory. If you sniff out the youkai come back to the village and wait for the rest of us. Don't engage alone, we don't know how many of those bastards are out there."

Everyone nodded, Toshiro a little more hesitantly than the rest. This was it, he thought, he was going to face youkai. He was going to help people, he was going to fight. Excitement and nervousness twisted his stomach.

"Can you handle this, pest?" Inuyasha asked, passing the bit of cloth to the younger hanyou.

"Yes." He said as he raised the material to his nose. Dirt. Sweat. Blood. Death.

Inuyasha raised a brow but nodded. "Good." He turned to the pack. "Shippou go with Miroku, Sango with Toshiro, and I'll go with Kagome."

"Why do you get to go with Kagome?" Shippou protested, accepting the cloth from Toshiro.

"Because I said so." Inuyasha thumped him.

"I could always go with Kagome." Miroku suggested with a smirk.

"Over my dead body, lecher!" Inuyasha growled, taking a step in front of said miko. " _I'm_ going with Kagome."

Kagome and Sango sighed.

Shippou rolled his eyes.

"Can we go now?" Toshiro said impatiently.

"Keh." Inuyasha grasped onto the miko's wrist and towed her after him, toward the forest to the North.

The miko shot an exasperated look over her shoulder.

The rest of the pack followed with small sighs.

When they hit the forest's edge they split up, the one's with youkai senses leading the pairs. Toshiro kept his nose to the wind, as Inuyasha had taught him, and sniffed for the unpleasant smell that had clung the hyena's clothing.

He looked momentarily over his shoulder at the slayer and caught her eye, she smiled encouragingly at him. A patch of sun broke through the trees, giving her a small halo and making his face flame. Pretty human. She was soft looking, and warm, and nice and- Not the time! He shook his head, turning toward the wind again and shoving everything but the stench of hyena from his mind. He lost himself in his task, vaguely aware of the taijia keeping close at his back.

They traveled in silence for a while, until they passed through a small clearing and a twig snapped in the distance to their right. Both hanyou and slayer snapped to attention, Toshiro baring his teeth at the trees and Sango pulling Hiraikotsu from it's strap on her back.

"Stay here." Sango said in a voice like steel.

Toshiro didn't have time to protest before she was gone, darting in the direction of the sound. After a few minutes he felt nervousness creep up on him, uncomfortable with being alone in such an unfamiliar place. He should go after her. She was a human. He was supposed to protect her, to fight with her. What if something attacked her? Why was she taking so long? What if-?

"What's this?" An amused voice said from the shadows ahead of him.

Toshiro glared into the trees, at the shape lurking there.

"Show yourself." He growled.

"What are you doing out here all alone, hanyou? It's dangerous around these parts." The figure chuckled, moving into the light.

A hyena youkai. He was tall, but hunched over. A spotted paw-like hand resting on the ground as he stopped. His eyes were two different colors, one a dirty yellow, the other a rusty red. He had a long, jagged scar on his neck, showing above his armor. He smiled widely at Toshiro, his teeth yellow and pointed. The hanyou shifted into a fighting stance, straightening his spine and his ears. The hyena laughed, a whooping, crazed sound.

"Are you going to fight me, puppy?"

"I'm going to kill you." Toshiro said through his clenched teeth, proud when his voice didn't shake.

"You're adorable." The hyena snickered. "You wont't be of much use to Lady Leiko, so I may as well kill you. I think I'll almost regret ending your life."

The youkai pulled a curved blade from the sheath at his waist, the sound of the metal scraping reminding the hanyou that he was unarmed. He glanced quickly at his claws. Not completely unarmed. The hyena lunged with a manic laugh, swinging his blade and nearly beheading Toshiro. He felt a sharp pain blossom on his cheek, tasted the copper of his blood as he leapt a safe distance away. He pressed a hand to his face, letting his blood seep over his claws as the hyena turned to face him with a deranged grin. Toshiro flicked his claws in the direction of the youkai, trying out the attack he'd practiced with Inuyasha only once before.

 _"Hijin ketsusou!"_

Red crescents hurtled toward the youkai, the razors of blood demolishing a tree as the hyena dodged it. His eyes darted to where the hyena landed lightly a distance away and Toshiro quickly pressed a hand to his still bleeding cheek before flinging the attack at the chuckling youkai again. Again he dodged.

"Not bad, hanyou, not bad at all." The hyena said with a fanged smirk. "You managed to kill a tree."

Toshiro growled. "You're next."

"You couldn't kill me on my worst day, you disgusting little puppy."

Toshiro felt his blood boil at the words.

He dived for the youkai with a furious snarl, swiping at it blindly. The hyena blocked each of his attacks with his blade, laughing at him all the while. Toshiro wanted to kill him. Toshiro would kill him. He was not disgusting. He was _not_ -

The hyena brought his blade down in a clean sweep, slicing through the skin of Toshiro's arm like butter. The hanyou jumped away before the sword cut too deep, the pain barely registering in his mind as his vision turned a hazy pink.

"You're getting sloppy, boy. Didn't daddy teach you how to fight? Or was daddy too ashamed of his little abomination?" The hyena chuckled, licking the blood from his weapon lazily. "Or maybe mommy was the youkai?"

Toshiro growled loudly, settling himself into a crouch and almost tasting the hyena's blood on his tongue.

"Oooh I struck a cord, didn't I?" His broken eyes gleamed wickedly. "Did the bitch abandon you?"

Toshiro felt an uncomfortable heat creep up his spine, but was too far gone in his fury to really register it. He felt a burn under his skin, his rage was a tangible thing. He spoke of his mother. He would die. Toshiro would end his life and bathe in his blood. He was going to _die_. The hanyou prowled toward the grinning youkai, his lips pulled back over his fangs and his ears pressed into his hair.

But before he could lunge again something shot out from the shadows, a yellow band of energy whipping out to wrap around the hyena's neck. Toshiro stopped cold in his tracks and stared, the fire receding in his veins as the youkai gasped at the thing choking him, his multicolored eyes going wide in fear. The band tightened around his neck, burning his hands where he clawed at it desperately. With a sharp pull from the end of the whip the youkai's head popped from his shoulders, bursting into dust along with it's body and landing in a harmless heap on the forest floor.

Toshiro panted disbelievingly, watching with wary eyes as the yellow whip retreated back into the trees. He scented the air, but all he could smell was charred hyena. Another figure moved slowly from the shadows and he tensed.

"You should be more careful." A deep, monotone voice said.

Toshiro instantly relaxed.

"It's you."

Sesshomaru stepped into the clearing, his boots scuffing the remains of the hyena as he made his way toward the stunned hanyou. Toshiro could only stare for a minute.

"What-what are you doing here?"

The Lord of the West raised a single brow, his right hand still slightly glowing.

"Is that how you thank someone who saved your life, boy?"

Toshiro sunk to the ground with a wince, his injuries stinging as they tried to heal. He held a hand to his bleeding arm and sighed. "Thank you."

"Hn."

They stared at each other quietly for a moment.

"They know not who you are," The Inu no Taisho said. "My baka brother and his troupe."

It wasn't a question, but still Toshiro shook his head. "No."

"Will you tell them?"

The hanyou looked wary eyes up at the inu youkai, instead of answering he said, "You didn't tell them."

Sesshomaru scoffed quietly. "This Sesshomaru cares not for your affairs, half breed."

That wasn't always the case. Hadn't been the case mere moments ago, but Toshiro didn't mention that or the other time that they were both undoubtedly remembering. He stared at the ground, wondering why he hadn't pieced together who this youkai was back then.

"She will come for you."

Toshiro blinked at him. "She doesn't care enough to come for me."

Sesshomaru's voice was even, was sure. "She will come for you." He said again.

"I'm not going back. I'm never going back there." He paused. "Will you tell her where I am?"

Sesshomaru turned on his heel as the snapping of twigs neared them. He made his way soundlessly toward the trees again, his voice still devoid of emotion as he said again, "This Sesshomaru cares not for your affairs."

"Thank you." Toshiro said as the Inu no Taisho disappeared, knowing that he could still be heard. "For everything."

"Don't die, half breed." Sesshomaru's voice said from the shadows, "I will be cross if you waste my efforts."

Toshiro smirked as the voice faded, just as Sango burst through the bush with her weapon poised and her teeth set in a snarl.

"Toshiro! Are you ok?" She asked, taking in the blood stained boy and the unmistakable pile of youkai ash with wide eyes.

He pulled himself to his feet, assessing his injuries. His cheek was healing, and his arm had stopped bleeding. He very well could have died, but the Lord of the West had saved his life.

Again.

He stared the place where Sesshomaru had been moments ago, then turned to Sango with a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine." He said before walking off, his nose to the breeze, determined to continue his mission and pretending not to notice the confused look on the taijia's face.


	11. Attack!

**E** **leven**

"Are you _sure,_ pest?" Inuyasha asked for the third time.

The sun was setting behind the trees, the villagers rushing to get into their homes before night fell. The pack was gathered on the outskirts of the village, ready to move out at the smaller hanyou's word.

Toshiro had followed the musty scent left behind by the hyena he'd fought until he and Sango had come to a large cave. The young hanyou and the slayer had ducked behind bushes down wind, far enough away as to not be scented by the dozens of youkai prowling the dark entrance, but close enough for Toshiro to see, to smell. The oblivious hyenas in the clearing surrounding the entrance were splayed about, some watching the trees but most lying around without a care in the world. The mouth of the cave was a large circle cut into the side of a mountain, deep into it a small glow lit like a heart. Faint traces of fear, of tears, could be scented from deep within the cave. The children were in there. They were still alive.

Toshiro growled, pulling himself from the memory to glare up at his mentor. "I know what I smelled."

"Trust him." Kagome said disapprovingly, her bow gripped tightly in her hand.

"He's right, Inuyasha." Sango said. Her foot tapped restlessly, making the sword and mask strapped to her hip clank together slightly. "I saw the cave, I saw the light inside it too. Though I couldn't smell what Toshiro had, I trust he's telling the truth. We should move. Now."

"Keh." Inuyasha snorted, shoving the pup between his shoulder blades, urging him to lead the way into the forest. "It ain't that I don't trust the pest, I just wanted to make sure."

"We're sure." Sango said as they walked. "We ran into trouble on our search and I stupidly left him alone. I went after a sound we'd heard and by the time I got back to Toshiro he was standing beside a pile of hyena ash."

Sounds of disbelief rang through the group, sounds of praise. Inuyasha glanced down at Toshiro and raised a brow to him. "You took out a youkai on your own?"

"Tch." Toshiro flushed beet red, keeping his eyes on the path they walked.

He didn't want to admit to the others that he'd had help. He also didn't want to bring up Sesshomaru being there because then they'd wonder why the seemingly emotionless Lord had helped him, and then they'd start asking how he knew the dai youkai in the first place. They'd seemingly forgotten about their encounter from the day before and the young hanyou intended on keeping it that way . . . At least for now.

Toshiro would tell them who he was eventually, he just wasn't ready yet.

He felt an increasingly familiar presence come to walk at his side and nodded at the kit in acknowledgement. Shippou gave him a small, proud smile, fangs peeking out under his top lip. He bumped his shoulder with Toshiro's softly, like he'd done that morning. The hanyou was glad his panic at the touch didn't rise, just a small discomfort in the back of his mind. Just like with Inuyasha. He wondered why he could tolerate their touch and still not the others'.

He smirked at the boy who'd decided to be his little brother before focusing back on leading the pack to the hyena lair, and his first real fight.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

The younger hanyou turned to his companions when they made it to the hyena's hideout, a smug grin on his face. It was nightfall, and they'd stopped just out of earshot and smelling distance of the enemy that waited for them.

Inuyasha gave Toshiro an irritating ruffle of his hair, the boy's ears flattening against the unexpected show of affection.

"Good job, pup." The larger half youkai said with a smirk before turning to the other adults as they talked about their plan of attack.

Shippou turned to him, his green eyes bright in the darkness.

"You nervous?" He asked on an exhale.

Toshiro didn't make it a habit of lying, he hated to in fact and only did so when he felt he absolutely had no choice. So he didn't force a bravado that he didn't feel into his voice.

"A little."

Shippou smiled, his voice confident. "We'll be fine. This'll be a piece of cake."

The kit reached out a fist to the hanyou, who in turn looked down at it in confusion. With a dramatic sigh and a roll of his eyes Shippou grasped Toshiro around the wrist, closing the other boy's fingers to mimic his own before making his fist tap lightly against the hanyou's.

Shippou laughed at the older boy's bewildered expression.

"It's called a fist bump."

Toshiro stared focused eyes down at his still clenched hand, his ears flicked.

"What's the point of it?"

"It can mean good luck, or good job, or can be a show of affection." The kit rolled his eyes again. "Don't chew it to death, just-"

He bumped his fist against the hanyou's again, and grinned when Toshiro gave him a small smile.

"Oi, pups! Get over here."

Shippou shot Toshiro one last smirk before they made their way over to the waiting adults. They'd made room in their circle for the boys to stand amongst them and Toshiro was suddenly overwhelmed by the sense of belonging he felt. These people who barely knew him always ensured he was involved, whether it be in something as simple as dinner conversation or standing in their huddle, or something as important as saving the lives of captured children. The hanyou grinned to himself, the warm fuzzy feeling in his belly completely out of place with the tense atmosphere surrounding him.

"Pest!" His head snapped to Inuyasha. He got a little irritated with himself for answering to the name. "You listening?"

Toshiro's ears folded back. "No."

Everyone chuckled, except for Inuyasha who blew air loudly out of his nose.

"Get it together, pup. We're moving out. You and the runt stay behind me and Miroku, but in front of Kagome and Sango. You _will not_ engage in battle unless absolutely necessary, and _you will_ listen when we give orders, whether they be to run or to help. Got that?" Inuyasha raised a black brow, daring the smaller hanyou to oppose him.

"Understood."

Inuyasha gave him a fanged smirk. "Good. Let's go."

And with his words the pack sprang into action, leaving Toshiro stunned for a moment before he scrambled to keep up.

Miroku yanked his robes from his body, revealing the skin tight black and purple taijia suit underneath. He burst through the trees, startling the hyenas surrounding him. He pulled blessed sutras from his belt, flinging the papers at the enemy youkai nearest him. They yowled in pain, the sutras burning their skin where they stuck. He waved his shakujo in an arc, knocking down two hyenas before smacking the golden weapon down on the head of a third.

Inuyasha swept Tetsusaiga from it's sheath, the mighty fang gleaming in the moonlight. He slashed at the approaching hyenas, cutting them away one by one as they advanced on the pack. Suddenly a group of enemy youkai surrounded Inuyasha. Toshiro watched with wide eyes as his mentor grinned at the menacing enemies, his silver white hair blowing as the wind did. He raised the blade over his head, before swinging the fang in a wide arc, his voice bellowing from him.

" _Kongousouha!"_

Diamond spears flew from the blade, taking down eight youkai and spraying Inuyasha with blood. Toshiro ducked the diamond shards that had came flying in his direction. When he righted himself he found Inuyasha grinning wider through the carnage that dripped from him.

The two men slowly but surely made their way to the mouth of the cave, from which dozens of hyenas continued to exit, their teeth bared in terrifying snarls, killing intent glowing in their bright eyes. The pack was the eye of a storm, adults spread out but surrounding Toshiro and Shippou, who kicked and clawed away youkai who managed to make it past the protective walls of their older pack members.

Sango was just behind the younger hanyou, throwing and catching her Hiraikotsu expertly, mowing down hyenas with ease. One youkai managed to dodge her massive boomerang and dashed for Shippou, who blasted his fox fire in the face of the enemy, causing the growling beast to fall back, clutching at it's burning face. Sango took its moment of distraction to slice her wakizashi through it cleanly. It howled in pain before it crumpled to the ground and turned to ash and bones.

Kagome was beside her best friend, a strange pink glow engulfing her entire body as she shot off arrow after arrow. Her miko's aura surrounded her arrows, the sacred light searing through the hyena's and not even leaving dust behind. An enemy youkai tried to to lunge for her and she quickly held up the hand not holding her bow. Her face was scrunched in grim concentration, and then a bright beam of pink light went down her arm before shooting out of the palm of her hand and hitting the hyena square in the chest. It looked down in fear at the sacred light that was spreading through it's body, before it yelped and exploded into ash and blood. As Toshiro raked a claw down the face of a growling youkai he noticed that Kagome didn't smile as Inuyasha had when he defeated an enemy; she looked upset, sad even. Even with all that these monsters had done, Toshiro realized as she quickly wiped a tear from her face that she didn't like to take life.

They were almost to the mouth of the cave, and Toshiro was still watching the miko from the corner of his eye. He saw three hyenas surround her and was shot through with anger and protectiveness. How dare these creatures try to hurt her, this miko who belonged to Inuyasha and wept tears for their enemy. She was forcing back two of the youkai, but the third was trying to make it's way behind her, to attack from her blind spot. Toshiro felt heat creep up his spine, his eyes stung. He raised a hand and clawed at the air, flinging an attack at the laughing youkai.

" _Sankon tetsusou!"_

He smirked when he saw his youki blades sliced through the hyena. It died in a puff. He moved closer to Kagome, leaping to kick an enemy in the face. The hyena stumbled back into one of the youkai's kagome was keeping at bay, and she used the moment to purify them both with a sacred arrow. She smiled over at Toshiro and he beamed back before lunging at another enemy. There were no end to these things!

They were just outside the cave now, the walls wet and corroding, the smell of blood emanating from it so strong that Toshiro had to fight the urge to cover his nose. The pack had fanned out, and it wasn't until he heard a scream that he realized that Shippou was no longer beside him.

He whirled around quick enough to see Shippou dragged into the cave. The adults all turned in shock, but were fending off at least five youkai each and couldn't move to save the kitsune without being killed. He was being held by a massive hyena with one eye and a disgusting grin. It clamped its red stained hand over the kitsune's mouth, using its other arm to pin Shippou to his body. The kitsune had tears in his wide green eyes and a bloody gash above brows.

"Shippou!" Toshiro roared.

Toshiro felt anger shoot through his limbs, no fury. He leapt with a furious cry at the youkai blocking his way to his brother, cutting one's throat and kicking another in the stomach. He ducked and dodged past hyena after hyena, pushing his way through the horde of bodies and racing after the youkai who'd disappeared into the heart of the chasm. A voice stopped him.

"Toshiro!" He turned back to the mouth of the cave. The adults of the pack were fighting with newfound vigour, cutting down youkai in their hurry get inside the cave. It was Inuyasha who had called out to him. He didn't look back as he swung his blade over and over, and his voice was hard and demanding. "Go get our runt back."

Toshiro nodded, his eyes hardening. Two youkai lunged for him and he punched one in the jaw with all his strength and dodged the claws of the other. He dashed down the tunnel toward the light, following the scents of tears and fear and Shippou.

He noticed that he was no longer being followed.

When he came into the large, circular room like structure deep in the cave he realized why.

 ** _Sankon tesusou_ \- Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer**

 ** _Kongousouha_ \- Diamon Spear Blast**

 **Shankujou- Miroku's staff**

 **Hiraikotsu- Sango's boomerang**


	12. Burning

**T** **welve**

The room opened up into a huge chamber, stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave like pointed teeth. Toshiro blinked against the sudden brightness after the dark of the tunnel. Lanterns were hung all around from the walls, lighting the room to day like brilliance.

He took everything in slowly, his mind moving at an almost sluggish pace. On the far left side of the room was a huddle of filthy children, bound together with their hands behind their backs, tears and snot and blood smeared on their faces. Directly across the room from Toshiro was the youkai who'd taken Shippou. He dangled the hanyou's unconscious brother from his rust colored claws like a trophy. His one open eye glared back at him, the other scarred and forced shut. Just behind the hyena Toshiro could see a patch of darkness cut into the wall; another tunnel leading deeper into the mountain. And to the far right of the room was what at first glance looked like a woman. But she wasn't.

Leiko, the hyena clan leader, was in her human form and humming an upbeat tune to herself.

Her ears were large and rounded, spots covering her brown skin from her neck down into her bloody, tattered pink kimono. Her hair was long, and brown, and streaked through with darker spots. She sat back against a pile of red spotted pillows, small bones strewn around her feet. She was beautiful, or would be if she weren't covered in dirt and the blood of innocent children. When she noticed Toshiro glaring at her from the entrance to her chamber her happy humming cut off with a small sound and she grinned a sharp toothed grin, her violet eyes going wide in surprise.

"Kawaii!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together and spitting the small bone that dangled from her lips to the floor.

Toshiro's ears twitched in confusion.

The hyena holding Shippou captive rolled his good eye.

"Can I keep him, Tadao? Oh please?!"

The one eyed youkai's mouth twisted distastefully as he moved across the room toward her, his gaze never leaving Toshiro. "I think he belongs to someone already, Lady Leiko."

The Alpha female pouted, and for a moment Toshiro wondered if she was sane. There was a crazed, almost childlike longing in her eyes as she stared at the hanyou. One that unnerved him and made him itch to get the limp Shippou away from her as fast as he could. He flicked his eyes to the trembling children and he frowned. He had to hold the youkai off until the pack could get to them; no way in hell would he be able to fight both youkai alone and get them all out alive.

"But I'll take such good care of him!" Leiko was whining, bringing the hanyou out of his head "Tadao, please! I want him!"

So not sane then, Toshiro thought grudgingly. She spoke of him as if he were a toy she saw on a marketplace shelf.

The youkai Tadao gave a bone weary sigh, dropping Shippou carelessly at his lady's feet in a small pile of blood before turning to glare at the hanyou. Toshiro's hackles rose. If his brother were hurt he'd make the one eyed bastard pay for it tenfold.

"Boy, my lady requests your company." The youkai said in a hard voice, taking several steps toward him.

"Your lady can go screw herself." Toshiro growled, widening his stance in anticipation. "Give me back the kitsune, and let the humans go."

"Rude." Leiko puffed her cheeks. "Tadao, why won't he play with me?"

Tadao frowned at Toshiro. "What do you care of human children, hanyou?" He asked instead of answering his leader. "They no doubt do not care about you."

Toshiro glanced at the children he was supposed to save, taking note of how they cowered into one another from his gaze. They were afraid of him. They saw his ears and golden eyes as what they were; proof that he was not human, proof that he was not like them, proof that he could hurt them if he so wished. He hated the fear in their scent, hated that they looked at him as if he were a monster. Shippou moaned lowly behind the hyena warrior and Toshiro's head snapped back to his enemy. He bit back a growl.

 _Keep them talking._

It wouldn't be too much longer now. Though he still heard the battle waging behind him, it sounded as if the pack had made it into the cave and were getting closer.

"I don't care about humans." Toshiro said honestly, slowly. "But my pack does, and we've been charged with rescuing these children. So you should release them and my brother before the rest of my pack comes and hacks you to pieces."

"Brother?" The warrior laughed as Leiko gnashed her teeth, her eyes flashing.

"They want to take my toys, Tadao. They can't take them. I haven't even played with them yet."

Her voice had lost all its childish curiosity, her tone as sharp as razors. She stood from her pillow thrown, her dark tail swishing behind her and brushing against Shippou's head. The children across the room whimpered.

"Be at ease, my Lady." Tadao assured, an almost impatient tone in his voice. "They will not make it past our forces."

"Don't underestimate Inuyasha." Toshiro snarled.

Tadao's eye widened. "Inuyasha, you say?"

The sudden hunger in his yellow eye unsettled Toshiro.

"He'll kill you." Toshiro said.

"Oh, I doubt that." The hyena grinned, his teeth gleaming in the lamp light. "Are you his welp? I do not smell the blood of the Inu no Taisho on you."

Tadao spoke of Sesshomaru with a burning hatred, and the hanyou couldn't help but wonder what the Lord had done to the youkai. Maybe the Inu no Taisho had carved the hyena's missing eye out of his fat head. Toshiro found himself fervently hoping that that was the case. The hanyou pushed aside his curiosity and dark wishes, taking a step to the side as the youkai took another forward, a careful look on his face.

 _Keep him talking. Bide my time._

"Why do you care whether I'm the Inu no Taisho's kin?"

The hyena cracked his knuckles, his voice deadly. "I will kill all connected to that flea ridden mongrel. I intended on hunting down his younger half-brother anyway. How fortunate I am to have him come to me myself."

Toshiro bared his teeth. "You'll have to go through me first."

"Is that so?" The massive hyena barked a laugh. "Am I to be afraid? Do you expect me to shiver in my boots? You could only wish, half breed."

"I _wish_ you'd choke on your own tongue." Toshiro snorted. He took note of his opponent inching closer, and took another deliberate step to the side. "It would make my job so much easier."

"Tadao! I want to play!" Leiko snapped, flopping back into her pillows . "Bring me something to play with. Now!"

"As you wish, Lady." He spit.

And he lunged for Toshiro, his claws outstretched. Toshiro jumped out of the way just in time, swinging his claws out at the hyena as he did and cursing under his breath when Tadao ducked his strike effortlessly. He spun on a heel and kicked out at the hanyou, catching him in the gut and sending him flying across the room. Toshiro slammed into the wall of the cave with a groan, pebbles falling to the ground with him as he did.

This youkai wasn't like the others he'd faced tonight.

He struggled to his feet, forcing down the wince that threatened to escape him as his still healing side twinged. He glanced quickly at Shippou as he rose. He was still unconscious at Leiko's feet. She thankfully was paying no mind to him as she was watching Toshiro and Tadao with glee filled eyes.

"Your Alpha is insane." Toshiro said to his opponent conversationally as he and the hyena began to circle one another.

Tadao chuckled without humor. "She is a bit eccentric, yes."

"Tadao! I want to _play!"_ She whined across the room.

Toshiro watched resentment flash quickly across Tadao's features at her voice, resentment not aimed at him. Interesting, Toshiro thought as he ducked a swipe of the warriors claws. It seemed that Leiko's loyal servant might not be so loyal after all. He could work with this.

"What was that look about?" Toshiro poked before he jumped for the youkai.

The hyena only snarled in response before he dodged, though not quite quick enough.

Toshiro's claws raked against the youkai's arm, coming away with blood and scraps of cloth under his nails. He landed on the balls of his feet and spun to face his enemy.

"Do you hate her?" He mock whispered, making a show of covering the side of his mouth from the Alpha.

He smirked when he heard Leiko gasp from her seat, and as he watched Tadao's face twist in fury.

"Shut your filthy mouth." The youkai growled. He lunged for the hanyou's neck, claws outstretched. Toshiro back flipped out of reach, landing in a crouch a mere few feet away from the captured children.

They cried out, moving back into their huddle and as far away from the hanyou as they could get. They trembled and snotted when he glared at them. He rolled his eyes before leaping back into the center of the room. Better not to bring them to a bloodthirsty murder's attention. Tadao swiped at Tadao again and when he ducked, the hanyou used the opportunity to sweep his leg out and to knock the hyena off of his feet like he'd done with Inuyasha in training a hundred times. He was shot through with pride when Tadao landed on his back with a surprised, "Oof."

He knew what he did next was risky, and arrogant, but he couldn't stop himself from peering over the fallen warrior. He tilted his head, blinking at him innocently.

"I guess I understand; she is a total nutcase. But it's more than that, isn't it?"

Tadao roared, drowning out Leiko's exclaim of indignation. Toshiro barely had time to jump back before claws reached to gouge out his eyes. Two claws nicked him, catching him under his left eye. He hissed in pain and felt warmth drip down his cheek. Smelled his own copper scent mix with the ones of the captured children, the ones snotting in a huddle and the ones long dead. He didn't reach to wipe the blood away. Across from him Tadao righted himself, panting heavily and glaring at Toshiro with an anger that could melt stone.

"Is it because she's a murderer?" He questioned lightly, ducking right, then left, then right as the youkai swung at him over and over again. All the while Toshiro continued to talk at him as if the hyena were not trying to cut off his head. "No, that can't be it. You're no better. It's because you want Alpha, isn't it? Well if that's the case why don't you just mate with her? I bet she'd be pretty once you wash the guts and death from her scent. Though I'm sure you'll end up like her last mate. Did you know him?"

He heard Leiko growl in outrage along with Tadao at his last question and he knew he'd struck a cord. He risked a glance over at her to ensure that his brother was untouched. The Alpha had risen from her pillows again and was glaring at him, her eyes bright with fury and madness.

"You've no idea what you're talking about." She snarled as her warrior tried to use the moment to his advantage.

Toshiro dodged another clawed hand and kicked out. He heard bones crunch under the force of his foot and he smirked. He used the youkai's broken wrist to propel himself across the room, pushing off of it and landing at the mouth of the tunnel he had first come through. He heard his pack still fighting, but they were so close.

 _Only a little longer._

"You worthless maggot."

Toshiro's world stopped at Tadao's words.

Heat suddenly shot up his spine with the force of a freight train. He turned wide, blank eyes to the one eyed youkai. Tadao's face was twisted with thunderous hatred, a hand clamped around his broken wrist. He yanked the bones back in place, growling at the hanyou all the while.

Thoughts of his mission, his pack, him _self_ burned away to ash in Toshiro's mind. Instead something wicked, something dark began buzzing in the back of his head. Something almost whispering to him, muffling the hyenas words as Tadao began speaking again.

"You should have been drowned when you were born. Your kind should not be allowed to walk this earth. The sight of you makes me sick,"

His words didn't register on the hanyou. In his head, the word played over and over. _Maggot. Maggot. Maggot._ He could suddenly feel Orochi's claws on his skin, Katsumi's breath on his damaged ear. _Maggot._ He felt the fire in his head travel down his arms and legs, felt his eyes burn and heat on his cheeks. The buzzing, the burning in his mind formed into a voice. One with a single command.

 _Kill._

"But not nearly as sick as I feel when I look at _you."_ The warrior had spun on Leiko as he finished. She stared back at him with disbelief, her tail twitching. Tadao had turned away from him, and in Toshiro's mind he did so because the youkai thought of him as no threat. Thought he was harmless, thought he was no better than a bug beneath his boot.

 _Maggot._

 _Kill him._

Toshiro's head lowered, his hair covering his eyes like a black curtain. He felt like he was on fire, and he found himself reveling in it. It began to consume him, burning away all thoughts but the one pounding against his skull like a heartbeat.

 _Kill him. Kill him. Kill him._

"He was my brother." Tadao was snarling at the female. "They were my kin, and you slew them. Your own family."

"Tadao . . . Why are you saying this?" She asked incredulously. She reached out a red stained hand, as if begging him to understand. Confusion lit in her deranged eyes. "They broke, Tadao. I was only playing with them, and they broke. Now I need new toys."

" _Toys_." The hyena spit in disgust, now completely unconcerned with the hanyou slowly nearing him. "That is how you view us all; as meaningless play things. You don't deserve to be Alpha. You never did. And once I'm done with this _filthy_ hanyou, I'll have your head and this clan."

When he turned back to Toshiro, he didn't even have time to blink before he felt something thunk against his boot. When he looked down he saw that it was his own arm, twitching in a growing pool of blood.

He looked up in shock at Toshiro, who stood only a few feet from him now, head still down. Red coated his hand like a glove, and a malicious grin was forming on his face. Holes looked to be burning into his t shirt and hakama, and Tadao watched with wide eyes as smoke rose from those spots on the boy's skin, from his hair.

"What," The hanyou growled lowly, "did you call me?"

" _Tadao!"_ Leiko wailed. She took several steps forward, but she did not run to catch the hyena youkai as he fell to his knees. Her violet eyes widened in shock as she watched her warrior press a hand to the bleeding hunk of flesh that used to be his shoulder.

 _Kill her._

She preyed on human children, the voice told him. Weak, defenseless human children who could not fight back. Toshiro could fight back. Toshiro could turn her to ash. The fire in his blood pulsed hungrily.

His hazy eyes flicked to the children, who began crying openly at his glance.

 _Kill them._

They would grow to be hunters. They would grow to hate him. They would grow to have pups, and teach them that same prejudice. Why shouldn't he rid the world of garbage before it began to stink? He took a step toward them, and was halted by a small, broken voice.

"T-toshiro?"

Shippou was blinking awake, bringing himself shakily to his hands and knees behind the alpha who glared at the hanyou. His eyes widened when he took in his chosen brother.

 _Kill him. Kill._ _ **Kill.**_

The voice was so much louder, the heat so much hotter. And Toshiro couldn't fight through it, he didn't want to. He liked it. Why shouldn't he kill them? Why should he save humans who never wanted him, and spare youkai who never spared him?

 _Maggot._

The word played over and over like a mantra. Orochi, Katsumi, all those who had shunned and tortured and beaten him flashed in his mind's eye. Why _shouldn't_ they burn? Why should any of them be allowed to live?

 _Maggot._

Something monumental snapped inside of him, and what little rationality he had left was consumed by flames. He felt fire pool just under his skin. He thought he could hear crackling under the rush of blood in his ears, but decided it unimportant when something inside of him roared.

 _ **Burn them all!**_

As if Leiko could hear the voice in the hanyou's head, her eyes flashed. She pulled back her lips over her fangs in a manic version of a smile, her claws lengthened at her sides.

"You want to play?" She chuckled darkly.

 _Start with her. Then th_ _e rest._

Toshiro took a step toward her, the burning and the voice drowning out everything else. All he knew was was fire, all he wanted was blood, all he needed was death.

 _Kill. Kill them all!_

They lunged for each other, meeting in mid air with fangs, and flames, and claws, and insanity between them.

Shippou screamed.

 **0:0:0:0:0**

"Mother _fuckers!"_

Inuyasha brought Tetsusaiga down on another youkai, cutting cleanly across the hyena's chest. He jumped carelessly over it as it crumpled to the ground with a yowl, slicing through four youkai who'd managed to corner Kagome with his claws.

"Thanks." The miko said grimly, wiping her arm across her brow before she notched back another arrow.

Inuyasha's brow creased in concern even as he turned to face more enemies. Kagome was tired; they all were. All of the humans were covered in sheens of sweat, the sheer numbers of the hyena youkai wearing them down though they fought furiously. There weren't many left, but the bastards were making it a point to block their way into the deeper part of the cave. Inuyasha felt his blood boil.

His pups. He _needed_ to get to his pups. He felt his youkai pacing impatiently in the back of his mind, begging to be released so that he could just _end this._ Tetsusaiga pulsed in response, beating back Inuyasha's blood so that the growling turned into low, anxious grumble. He pushed against the pull of his feral side, forcing himself to focus on how get past the enemy without putting his pack in danger. The hanyou would easily be able to get rid of the hyena pests using the Wind Scar, but the power in the attack would no doubt bury them all alive. The tunnel they were forcing their way down, seemingly carved into the mountain by bare claws, was narrow and had just enough room for the pack to fight without bumping into one another. They were boxed in, Inuyasha and Kagome clearing their way into the mountain, Sango and Miroku keeping the beasts at their backs at bay.

 _Hold on, brats. I'm coming, just a little more._ He thought with an internal snarl.

" _Inuyashaaaa!"_

Everyone stopped at the screech, human, and hanyou, and hyena alike. All eyes widened at the heartbroken, petrified sound that echoed from further into the cave, shaking dirt from the ceiling as it reached them. A second later all eyes turned to the hanyou just as his eyes flashed red.

Shippou. _Shippou!_ His youkai was roaring furiously in his head now, all thoughts of rationality gone and demanding that no more time be wasted. With that one scream the hanyou felt himself pulled under by rage, by protectiveness, by thirst for the blood of all who would dare cause his pup to sound so anguished.

Not even Tetsusaiga could hold Inuyasha back as his markings surfaced, as he launched himself at the dozen hyenas in front of he and Kagome and killed them all in less time than it took to exhale. As he turned from the carnage he'd created and glared at the remaining youkai with blazing red eyes, daring them to challenge him, begging them to give him a reason to bloody his claws further.

"Get. Fucking. Lost." He managed to growl around his lengthened fangs. "Or you'll be wishin' for death long before I give it."

There was a pause, and then the mass of youkai shivered visibly. Then as if they all had one mind, ran back toward the entrance of the cave with yelps and tucked tails between them. Inuyasha huffed before turning to sprint down the tunnel, his feet slapping loudly against the blood soaked earth. He heard his pack on his heels, heard them yelling his name but that was of no concern to him now. Pups. Pups. Pups. As he pushed himself to move faster, run harder, the scents at the far end of the tunnel made his hair stand on end. He smelled blood. Blood, and tears, and fire.

 _Fire?_

He skidded to a stop as he came into the large cavern. A part of his mind immediately assessed that the captured children and Shippou were relatively unharmed, each on either side of the large chamber. Another part noticed the single arm sitting in a puddle of blood on the ground, and the dragging trail of red that led from it into another tunnel leading further into the mountain. The largest part of him, however, watched in shock as a female hyena fought wildly with a youkai possessed, flame engulfed hanyou in the middle of the room.

Toshiro was swinging blindly at the female, his eyes ruby red and irises a frightening pale green. He had navy blue, zig zag shaped youkai markings along his cheekbones. Inuyasha saw as he snarled at the female that his fangs had grown, and as he swiped a curved hand across Leiko's chest that his claws had done so as well.

She laughed even as blood welled from the wound, returning the blow in kind and raking her claws across the little hanyou's cheek. She was seemingly unbothered by the blistering burns Inuyasha saw decorating her hands and feet.

Toshiro's hakama and t shirt were riddled with holes, pieces of fabric burning off of him still as he fought savagely with Leiko. His growls were deafening. His eyes focused only on his chosen prey, burning brighter as the Alpha cackled and met him blow for blow.

From his skin rose fire. _Fire._ As if his fury had manifested into flames, and those flames covered every inch of him, burning only his garments as he and the Alpha female tried their best to kill one another without any regard to their audience. His midnight black hair swayed amongst the flames like smoke, not a single strand on his head singed.

Tetsusaiga pulsed again, stronger this time. Inuyasha felt his youkai recede just as a small figure came rushing right into his back.

"Toshiro?"

It was Kagome. She and the others had caught up with Inuyasha and were watching the spectacle with wide eyes. The larger hanyou snapped back into focus when Toshiro was kicked across the room, landing in a crouch only inches from the kidnapped children. They cringed away from his flames and wailed.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha barked out as Toshiro lept back at Leiko with a war cry. "Go to the human pups, put up a barrier around them. Now!"

"I'm on it!" The monk turned slayer sprinted across the room, shushing and cooing to the kids as he pulled blessed sutras from the purple sash around his waist. A moment later a translucent barrier formed around he and the children like a bubble, flying bits of rock and dirt from the still oblivious fighters bouncing off of it harmlessly.

Sango jogged over to where Shippou was kneeling by a pile of bloody pillows without prompting, sinking to the floor beside him and pulling the openly weeping kit into her lap to check his injuries. He winced as she touched at the gash on his forehead, but his eyes didn't move away from Inuyasha.

"Save him . . ." He heard the kit whimper, his eyes dancing between the larger and smaller hanyou fearfully. "Help him, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha nodded grimly before turning back to the heated madness in the center of the room. Toshiro was holding Leiko off, but he was covered from head to toe in bloody gashes. He fought tirelessly regardless, the blood from his wounds sizzling as it hit the cave floor below. She seemed to be enjoying herself, the Alpha, even if she was covered in just as much blood.

Inuyasha seemed to have been taking too long, as something hot whizzed past his cheek. He saw a bright pink light slam into the Alpha female's chest just as she was thrown to the ground by the young, bloodthirsty hanyou. She pulled herself into a sitting position, turning sad, childlike violet eyes on her attacker just before white-pink light erupted like a sun. Leiko died in a scream and burst of sacred energy, the purification so strong that Sango moved to shield Shippou as he yelped. Toshiro was sent smacking into the far wall and fell limp on the ground. His flames went out as he went limp.

The larger hanyou looked to his right just as Kagome was lowering her bow. She was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. Her eyes were brown fire, the most angry and afraid Inuyasha had ever seen them. And though her arms shook, she didn't hesitate as she slung her bow onto her shoulder and raced across the room to the unconscious Toshiro. Inuyasha followed closely at her heels as she knelt beside the young boy, fat tears rolling down her flushed face. Inuyasha was swept through with so much relief and pride he thought he might burst.

He heard Miroku still comforting the human pups, speaking to them in a low calm voice. He heard as the monk asked if they were all alright, and as he asked their names. Inuyasha was glad to hear Emiko's name among them.

He looked to Shippou across the room. "You ok, runt?"

The kit sniffed, looking up from the protection of Sango's arms.

"I-I'm fine." He said, absentmindedly wiping away the drying blood on his forehead with his sleeve. "Is he going to be ok?"

"He's going to be fine." Kagome said tiredly. "I was sure I wouldn't hit him, I was sure he wouldn't be purified. He's just a little stunned. That's the only reason I did it. Right, Inuyasha?"

She sounded more sure than she looked. She turned her big brown eyes up at the hanyou as if for assurance. He grunted, kneeling beside her and the unconscious boy. He didn't doubt her for a second, and though Toshiro was out cold his youki was present, if not stronger than before. Kagome gave him a watery smile.

Then she did the absolute worst thing next.

She placed a tender hand on Toshiro's back with a relieved sigh, and almost immediately the boy lit up in flames like a match. She pulled her hand back with a startled squeal, her hand bright red and blistering as Toshiro pulled himself into a crouch.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.

He yanked the wincing girl savagely behind his back, then turned to glare furious eyes at the still transformed boy not two feet away from him. Toshiro's flames flickered, his eyes flashed, and he bared his teeth at Inuyasha in challenge. Inuyasha's youkai was warring with itself. _Defend your mate!_ It roared, and in the same mental breath, _Don't hurt your pup!_ Inuyasha bared his teeth back, fighting his own rampaging instincts. He chose to flick his ears up tall, growling a warning to the fire engulfed pup. It was an authoritative sound that announced that _he_ was Alpha, and if the pup pushed too far he would be punished severely. The younger hanyou would instinctively know to back down, would immediately understand what Inuyasha was snarling at him as he shielded Kagome from his bright red and green eyes.

Toshiro understood the warning, but he didn't back down. He lowered himself further into his crouch, as if preparing to spring himself at Inuyasha and Kagome.

But he never got that far.

Inuyasha pounced on him, pinning the boy to the ground with a knee firmly planted between his shoulder blades. He growled loudly at the squirming young hanyou, going to grab at the skin at the back of Toshiro's neck and shaking hard. Inuyasha ignored the way the flames coming off of the boy burned his leg and hand, ignored the faint guilt he felt for having to force Toshiro to submit to him. But the smaller hanyou would either submit, or Inuyasha would kill him with his own hands. Not even one of his pups would be allowed to be a threat to his mate.

Thankfully it didn't come to that.

With one last snarl, and one last tug at the looser skin at Toshiro's nape, Inuyasha felt the boy yelp under him and go limp. The fire that covered his body flickered like a dying camp fire then went out, leaving only smoke to rise from Toshiro's skin. Inuyasha sighed lowly as the searing pain in his hand and leg let up, as the burned and blistered skin immediately began to heal itself, as Toshiro fell unconscious again.

"Kami . . ." Sango murmured into the following silence, one hand over her mouth and another over her heart. "What was that?"

Inuyasha looked down at the boy still beneath him. His youkai markings had disappeared. If it weren't for the fact that he was beaten bloody, and that his clothes were nearly charred off of his body, Inuyasha could have almost believed that the boy was sleeping peacefully. He rose from his position over Toshiro, his haori blackened and singed around his wrist, a large hole burned away in the knee of his hakama. Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome, warring emotions shooting through him as he watched her cradle her scalded hand to her chest. Guilt, confusion, rage, concern, relief. All of these fought for dominance in Inuyasha as he finally spoke up in a hard voice.

"I don't know. But I'm going to fucking find out.


	13. His Place

**Thirteen**

He was lying on something warm. Something soft. Something that smelled of wildflowers, and dried tears, and comfort. Toshiro nestled further into the warm source, nuzzling into the soft fabric he rested against and fighting to stay unconscious.

He didn't want to wake up yet. His body ached terribly, his head felt as if it were seconds away from splitting in half. And he knew deep down that he'd done something terrible. Deep, deep in his mind he knew he'd done something he'd be ashamed of, though his memories were hazy and he didn't remember exactly what.

 _Doesn't matter. Want to sleep more_.

He felt himself fading, and stuffed his nose into the pleasant smell by his face. Pain and guilt didn't matter. Shame and regret and fear didn't either. He just wanted to sleep . . .

Right before he was pulled under again he heard a rumbling voice.

"Are you ever going to put him down, wench?"

Before he could wonder just who Inuyasha was referring to, or hear the response to his grumbled question, he slipped back into a heavy and fitful sleep.

 **0:0:0:0:0**

He jolted up from a vivid dream of blood and fire. His hair was plastered to his head with sweat, his breathing heavy and short. He felt tears in his eyes, and the hands that gripped at the blankets around him trembled. He tried to focus himself, closing his eyes and trying to push the dream to the back of his mind; it wasn't real. It wasn't real. He opened them when his heartbeat finally slowed and took in his surroundings. He was in a large room. One with sliding doors and a large bathing tub in the corner. Small flames flickered from lanterns attached to the walls, leaving the room dim and warm.

He winced and looked away from the fire light.

He remembered everything. Storming the mountain with the pack. Shippou being captured. His fight with Tadao. The way that something had snapped inside of him when the hyena had called him _that_ word. His loss of control, ripping off the warrior's arm, the demanding voice in his head, and how all he had wanted was to kill Leiko, to kill _everyone_. How he'd turned on innocent children, his own brother, and even Kagome.

His ears flattened as he finally worked up the courage to look at the figure sleeping beside him on the plush futon. Kagome was snoring softly, her hair splayed around her in a wild tangle and her body tucked as if she had been cradling him into her while they slept. Her bandaged hand had dropped from around his chest to his lap when he'd shot up, white gauze wrapping her right hand from her fingertips to past her wrist.

He felt terror, disgust, and panic blast through him. But those feelings were not because of her touch, but because he'd hurt her. _He_ was the reason he smelled healing skin and medicine coming from her covered hand. She had not been hurt by their enemies, not by the dozens of lackeys they'd fought nor by the Alpha that she'd taken out in one shot, but by _him._

From the first day he'd met the miko all she'd done was try to help him, to win his trust. She was just as much the pack's Alpha as Inuyasha, and Toshiro had never shown her the amount of respect she deserved. She could have easily killed him when she'd found him in the beginning, could have disregarded him like so many others he'd run into during his escape from his past. But she took him in. She greeted him with the same warmth as she did with the rest of her pack; not as if he were a nuisance or burden she'd taken in out of duty, but as if he were family. She encouraged him, taught him, sheltered, fed, and clothed him. She had shown more motherly affection toward him in the span of a month than he'd received in years in his old life. She didn't have to do any of it, he knew, she didn't have to care for him. Yet she did.

And he'd hurt her.

Toshiro watched Kagome, confused by the slight part of her lips, the look of utter contentment on her face. How could she stand to sleep beside him? How could she tolerate his touch after he'd caused her pain, after he'd turned his fangs on children? How could she be so forgiving? He'd tried to attack _Shippou_. Would the kitsune _ever_ forgive him? He didn't believe he deserved such kindness. He deserved to be punished, deserved to be squashed like the maggot he was.

His eyes stung with the force of holding back his tears.

He almost winced when he heard the bamboo door slide open, the pad of feet on the hardwood floor. He didn't look up at Inuyasha as the older hanyou stopped in front of him, only continued look at Kagome's sleeping face. Toshiro didn't think he could meet his eyes, so he lowered his ears in submission and waited for Inuyasha to dish out his justice.

Inuyasha stared at him silently for a long time, and Toshiro felt himself become more and more nervous under his gaze.

"She stayed with you the whole time." The older male said eventually.

Shock went through him, halting his uneven breaths. Toshiro turned blurry eyes on his mentor's bare feet, not daring to look him in the face.

"Why would she do that?" He whispered.

"You were restless. And you were calling for your mother in your sleep after . . . Everything." Inuyasha said slowly. "She didn't want to leave you alone."

Toshiro swallowed nervously. He didn't think he'd ever talked in his sleep before, none the less about his mother . . . But even so, after what he did, why would Kagome reach out to comfort him?

He still stared at Inuyasha's feet as he asked, "Why would she care? Why would she -after what I- I just don't . . . I don't understand."

Inuyasha regarded the little hanyou quietly, watching the usually poised boy stumble over his words. He watched as he wrapped his arms around his middle, as if he were in pain. As his ears folded back against his head, further beckoning his submission. He held himself as if bracing for a lash. Inuyasha noticed that Toshiro had yet to move Kagome's arm from his person. His tawny eyes darted in every direction but the one in which the older hanyou stood.

"Why haven't you looked at me since I walked in?"

Toshiro visibly swallowed. He wouldn't beg for forgiveness he didn't feel he deserved. He'd accept his beating without protest, as he was taught. He raised his head, not to look Inuyasha in the eyes but to tilt his head back and bare his throat to the older half youkai. He pinched his eyes shut, waiting for a blow that would never come.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "You think I'm gonna-? You actually think I'd hit you?!"

Toshiro said nothing. Just waited, eyes closed tight and claws gripping tightly onto the blue t shirt someone had put him in.

"I'm not going to fuckin' beat on you, pup!" Inuyasha struggled to lower his voice when Kagome groaned lowly in her sleep. "Why would you think something like that?!"

After a moment Toshiro relaxed his tense position. He knew Inuyasha didn't lie, so he released his shirt and hesitantly met his dark golden eyes with the bright furious ones that looked down at him. Anxiety swirled in his tummy no less, shame. Inuyasha's clothes were repaired, as if Toshiro had never burned through them. His previously scalded hand now held no wounds.

"Why the hell would you think that?!" Inuyasha barked again.

Toshiro's ears stayed plastered to his hair as he mumbled miserably, "I hurt her . . ."

"Yeah." Inuyasha's eyes flashed. "And ya better have one hell of an apology ready for her when she wakes up. You're on my shit list until further notice, pup, but I'd never raise a claw to you that way. "

"I will apologize . . . I-I never meant to hurt her, or anyone. Shippou, h-he must hate me . . ." Tears welled in his eyes again against his will as he sniffled.

He had to fight back a whimper at the idea that he'd lost the only brother he'd ever had. The thought of Shippou's expressive green eyes glaring at him in disgust made his stomach flip. Inuyasha sighed, then sank onto the floor on Kagome's other side. He folded his arms into the sleeves of his haori, and amber eyes met over an obliviously sleeping miko. Inuyasha's were concerned, angry, but tired. He had heavy bags under them, ones that made Toshiro curious about when the last time his mentor slept. The younger hanyou didn't even know how long he was unconscious for, or even where they were. They stared at each other in the quiet room, the only sounds to be heard were the quiet flicker of the lanterns, and the distant sound of chirping crickets.

"Shippou doesn't hate you." Inuyasha finally said into the silence.

Toshiro's ears flicked uncertainly.

"He doesn't blame you for what happened," Inuyasha continued. "None of us do."

The smaller hanyou nodded minutely, glancing down at Kagome as she shifted closer to him. Her bandaged arm moved to wrap around his small waist. He felt warmth fill him as she cuddled closer, warmth, and shame, and protectiveness. He didn't think her touch would bother him much anymore, and he was glad for it.

"Has your youkai ever surfaced before?" Inuyasha pulled him from thoughts of his changing heart, his mentor's watchful eyes on Kagome's movements.

"Is that what that-that voice was?" Toshiro felt himself shiver just remembering the bloodthirsty thing that had taken control of his actions.

Inuyasha nodded, a sad look in his eyes. "Hanyou's have a harder time controlling it. That voice you're talkin' about is like our youkai nature manifested, our instincts. It's our blood taking over."

"Is it always so . . . Destructive?" Toshiro didn't want to feel like that again, that angry, that mindless. "Do we always want to kill everything when we lose control?"

"Not always." Inuyasha's look turned haunted. "But it's in a hanyou's nature to turn feral once our youkai surfaces. Full blooded youkai can manage their instinctive urges much easier than we can. I've done horrible things, hurt lots of undeserving people, back in the day . . ."

"You can control it now?"

"Mostly. That part of us is something that can never be truly tamed, pup, just sated. Sometimes I still struggle with mine."

"H-how do you satisfy it?" Toshiro mumbled, afraid of the answer.

Would he have to burn down a forest to please it? A village? Would he have to kill?

Inuyasha had the gall to blush. "Keh. Our instincts are canine, pest. When it's wants aren't mass murder, they're usually pretty basic. Food, sleep, it's pack, and it's mate."

"I saw when your eyes flashed red. When I hurt her." His gaze flicked to Kagome again. "Did you want to kill me?"

Inuyasha gave him an almost thoughtful look. "No."

Toshiro swallowed. "A-and your flames?"

There was a pause. A curious glint forming in Inuyasha's eyes.

"I've never seen anyone burst into a ball of fire like you did, pup."

His voice was slow and cautious, as if he were talking to frightened animal.

And he partly was. Toshiro blinked at him, not immediately understanding what the older male meant.

And when he did he felt like he was going to throw up. So he was freak, Toshiro thought bitterly, an abomination even among his own kind. He felt it now, -Inuyasha called it his youkai blood- buzzing in the back of his mind with his upset. He felt its heat slowly searing through his body, making his blood thrum in a way that frightened him. He felt sweat bead at his nape, and was all the more frightened when he felt the chaotic energy in his veins pulse like a heart. He began hyperventilating, his breath coming out of him in desperate little gasps. He was a monster, a revolting beast who needed to be put down! He could hurt someone again! He had no control over this inferno inside of him, he had no control over-

"What's wrong with me?" Toshiro whispered brokenly to himself.

He felt a tear slip from his eye, and winced when he heard it sizzle as it hit the futon below him.

"Toshiro." A voice spoke.

The hanyou pup raised panicked eyes to his senior.

Inuyasha's brows were creased in concern. He'd raised himself into a crouch, preparing to yank Kagome away from the boy's side in a moment's notice. Toshiro's heart clenched. He didn't want to be a danger to her, to anyone! He didn't want this!

Though Inuyasha's body was tense, his eyes wary, when he spoke again his voice was calm.

"I want you to look at your hands."

Toshiro gave the larger hanyou a confused look, but did as he was told. He blinked away the blurriness from his eyes, and when he looked down in his lap he inhaled sharply. He seemed to be alight from within, a faint glowing just underneath his skin like a dying fire. Each time he breathed in the dim light seemed to glow a bit brighter, making his tan skin glow like embers. Each time he breathed out it muted. From his arms, hands, and even his feet tiny tufts of smoke rose. He jerked his head back to Inuyasha's face, fear shooting though him like a punch to the gut.

"I'm gonna-!"

"No, you're not." Inuyasha said in a sure voice, his eyes brokered no argument. "You're going to take a deep breath. And you're going to try to relax."

Toshiro stared, taking in the way Inuyasha looked him straight in the eyes, his surety and trust grounding the little half youkai. He nodded slowly, closing his eyes a moment later and taking in a shaky breathe. He imagined himself in a cool pool of water, the flames in his body doused by Inuyasha's belief and his own will. He felt it's resistance, he felt the pyretic energy pop and crackle as it tried to break free of his skin. He stayed quiet, focused for several minutes before he exhaled slowly, forcing down the heat until all of the fire was pushed to the bottom of his belly, a dull and unimposing flicker inside of him. When he opened his eyes and looked down at himself again, the orange-redish glow was gone.

"I did it." He breathed.

Inuyasha nodded. "I knew you could."

Toshiro swelled with happiness at Inuyasha's proud smirk, but at the same time still felt fear somersaulting in his belly. He still felt the flames in him, they were nowhere near gone. It was like the energy was just waiting to go berserk, waiting for the moment he lost control of his emotions again. He could feel the sizzle of it under his skin.

Would he always feel like this?

"It'll get easier, pup." Inuyasha said as if he could read the little hanyou's mind.

Toshiro shook his head, gripping at the blanket still pooled in his lap.

Kagome pulled herself closer to his side.

"You don't know that. You said yourself that you've never seen someone do what I can."

"Just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist." Inuyasha shrugged. "I sent Myouga to find Sesshomaru a few days ago, I'm sure we'll see the pompous asshole again before we leave his territory. I'll ask him what he knows of your abilities then."

"We're still in the Western Lands?" Toshiro did not miss that Inuyasha had sent Myouga away several days before. He had apparently been unconscious for a while.

"Well we couldn't just tote your ass back to Musashi." Inuyasha snorted. "You're heavier than you look, pest."

Toshiro glared at him. Inuyasha smirked again and slid to the floor, sprawling out beside Kagome and balancing his head on a hand. Toshiro's ears flicked, his worry that Inuyasha and the others would shun him taking center stage in his mind again. He said they weren't angry now . . . but what if he lost control of this _thing_ inside of him again and ended up doing real damage to someone? The pack would hate him, and expel him out when he had just started to feel at home within it. He dreaded the thought. He _had_ to get control over this-this fire that burned even now inside of him. If he didn't he'd end up as alone and afraid as he had been the day Kagome had found him. He'd rather die than feel like that again.

"Are you-are you sure you're not angry with me?" Toshiro looked up through his thick lashes at his mentor.

"I am angry." Inuyasha said lowly. "You fucked up, pup, but it wasn't your fault. I don't blame you, but I am _angry_ that you hurt Kagome. That you yourself got hurt."

Toshiro's ears drooped. "What can I do to make it right?"

Inuyasha laid back on the floor, his arms crossed under his head. Toshiro followed suit as he waited for his answer, laying back onto the pillow he'd apparently been sharing with Kagome. He pulled the blanket up around both of their shoulders carefully, and didn't protest when the miko smushed him into her chest. She smelled nice. So long passed before Inuyasha spoke again that Toshiro had begun drifting off to sleep.

"You're gonna hate me, pup." He finally said.

Toshiro blinked worriedly, his long lashes brushing against the wool of Kagome's sweater. "Why?"

"You're gonna to show me that you can control your youkai, you're gonna show me that you won't let what happened three days ago happen again. And until you do you're gonna be training your ass off, morning, noon, and night. Got it?"

Toshiro's mouth set into a scowl. He knew that Inuyasha was deadly serious, but so was he. He could do this. He _would_ learn to control his strange youkai. He never wanted to feel the way he had, never wanted to be a danger to his pack, ever again.

 _My pack._ It was the first time he had ever thought of them that way, and actually meant it. The first time he'd thought of Miroku, and Sango, and Kagome as _pack_ , not just by their given names or identifiers, 'the humans' or 'the miko'. But as pack, as family, as something that belonged to him.

He was slipping fast, Kagome's warm arms and warmer aura swathing him in a blanket of temporary peace. His mind quickly blanked of his worries, his eyes too heavy to hold open much longer. His body was still tired, recovering. Before he fell blissfully unaware he heard a voice whisper in the back of his head. But this time it was not bloodthirsty; this time it was possessive, determined, even a little afraid.

 _My pack. Mine to protect. From enemies, from self. Mine to convince. Mine . . ._

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

Kagome yawned, her eyes squeezing shut and arms stretching above her head. Or rather one arm; the other had a black haired hanyou holding it down. She blinked bleary eyes down at her captor. They widened in shock when her mind actually processed her predicament. Toshiro was wrapped around her like a vice, both arms and even a leg folded around her left arm as if he were holding a teddy bear. His cheek was squished against the fabric of her sweater, making the open little 'o' of his lips misshapen. She smiled, a warm flutter in her stomach. His little drooped ears flicked when someone moved behind her. She turned her head and saw that Inuyasha was there again, watching her and Toshiro with a strange expression. His amber eyes were soft and bright in the darkness of the room.

"Who knew he was a cuddler?" She whispered, a small smile still gracing her face.

"Keh." Inuyasha turned onto his side toward her.

He looked exhausted. His eyes were half lidded, dark circles under them.

"Have you still not slept?"

He snorted lowly. "Sleep is for the weak."

"You need to rest, Inuyasha." She rolled her eyes. "You've barely slept a wink in the past three days."

Kagome shifted, moving to turn her head more comfortably toward the older hanyou. The younger one grumbled in his sleep and moved with her, unwilling to release her arm. She giggled at him, then noticed Inuyasha's brow furrow as he watched Toshiro as well.

"He's fine, Inuyasha." She assured. "He's been out cold for a long time, but I'm sure he'll wake up soon."

Golden eyes flicked back to her. "He's already woken up. I spoke with him a few hours ago."

"Oh." She watched him closely. "How did it go? You didn't hit him, did you?"

"Keh." Inuyasha propped his head up on his hand. "You have no faith in me, wench."

"Inuyasha . . ."

Said hanyou rolled his eyes. "Relax, woman. I didn't hit him."

"So what happened?"

Inuyasha's look turned almost uncomfortable. He squirmed a little and scratched at the light scruff at his jaw. "He submitted to me again."

"You said you didn't hit him!" Kagome gasped.

"I didn't!" Inuyasha's voice raised an octave. "When I heard him shuffling around in here I came in to check on him, and when I did he wouldn't even look me in the eye."

Kagome could hear the slight hurt in her best friend's voice as he continued.

"I didn't force him to, I didn't pull rank. I asked him what was up and he just . . . submitted. He submitted to me with this broken look in his eyes, he exposed his throat for me and just sat there . . . Waiting for me to lash out at him."

Kagome cast sorrowful eyes down on the little boy still clinging to her arm. Why would he think Inuyasha would do that? Who had hurt him so badly that he expected to beaten for something he had no control over? Kagome's eyes watered, her chest clenching painfully. She spoke around the lump that had formed in her throat.

"And then?"

"Keh." Inuyasha scrubbed the sleeve of his haori across his eyes. "I told the little shit that it wasn't his fault, and that none of us were mad at him for what'd happened. It was apparently his first time transforming, so he was really freaked out and thought that we'd shun him. I told him that his youkai is something he can learn to control, and he's gonna be training his scrawny little butt off with me until he does. We spoke about his flames, and I saw first hand the signs of him losing control so now I know what to look for if it happens again. And he knows he has a lot of ass kissing to do with the both of us before he's forgiven."

Kagome scrunched up her nose. "He doesn't have any _ass kissing_ to do at all."

"The hell he doesn't!"

"It wasn't his fault, baka!"

"Regardless of the situation, Kagome, he has to learn that if he threatens our pack again he will be punished! He has to learn that what happened can't happen again!"

"I'm pretty sure he's learned his lesson, Inuyasha! Whatever that mean dog thing you did to him was, seemed to do the trick!"

Inuyasha gave her a hard look. "I was _punishing_ him, wench. He could have _killed_ you. And I'll do it again if he steps out of line! He has to learn his place!"

Kagome puffed her cheeks, the rational part of her mind telling her that she didn't know much about inu youkai culture, and that she had to trust that Inuyasha was doing the right thing. But that didn't mean she liked it.

"I think he's been punished enough." She finally whispered.

She took note of how the little hanyou in question had tightened his grip on her arm, as if he could sense her upset. When she looked over at him she saw that his face was twisted in a grimace, his brows furrowed and eyes closed tight. She hesitantly ran two fingers of her bandaged hand over his soft cheek, both a great happiness and great sadness filling her when she felt him relax under her touch. His puppy ears drooped adorably, and a small snore emanated from the back of his throat. Kagome watched him with a morose smile, letting the low sound of his breathes and warmth from his skin soothe her. When Inuyasha spoke up again his voice was hushed, almost disbelieving.

"You love him . . ."

Kagome's head jerked back to Inuyasha, wide browns meeting his wider goldens in surprise. Inuyasha's cheeks looked suddenly flushed in the dim lamp light, his tall fuzzy ears flicking. His eyes were probing, depthless, and awestruck. Kagome felt her own face heat under his stare.

"You love him." He said again in the same strange tone.

"Of course I do." Was her immediate response.

Something lit in Inuyasha's eyes at her whispered word. Kagome was confused by the intensity his gaze. Of course she loved Toshiro. Inuyasha looked at her like she'd given him an answer to a question he'd been dying to know, like she'd given him a gift. But why would that be? Why wouldn't she love Toshiro? He was strong, and brave, and smart. He was honest, though sometimes to a fault. She had watched him grow so much in just a few short weeks. He was-

Inuyasha quickly reached out to her, cupping her cheek with a clawed hand and reaching down to seal his lips soundly to hers. She made a small sound of surprise, her eyes blowing wide, and then all thoughts of Toshiro left her mind completely. Inuyasha was _kissing_ her, and his lips were soft, and warm, and desperate. She didn't know why this was happening, what possessed him to do so, but she thanked Kami that he had. She felt herself melt into his touch as his hold on her tightened, her eyes fluttering closed and her heart hammering against her chest. Her free hand came up to tangle in his hair and she grabbed on for dear life, using the soft silver strands to anchor herself. He parted her lips with his own, his breath hot and dizzying as it washed over her.

He pulled back slightly, and she felt the loss of his lips like the removal of something vital. She felt it like a part of herself had been taken away, and she was two seconds from pulling him back to her and kissing him until she forgot her own name. But his look have her pause. His gaze was bewildered, as if he didn't understand what had happened either, as if he had no control over his actions. His eyes were huge and dilated, the amber color there just a golden rim. His lips were but an inch or so from her own, and when he spoke again she felt the brush of them against her.

"I-I didn't mean to -You- I-I shouldn't have-"

But she didn't give him the chance to finish. She pulled him back down to her, crashing her lips to his again, unwilling to hear him say that he regretted it. She didn't want to hear that she wasn't who he really wanted, that she wasn't Kikyou. All she wanted was to kiss him and forget everything else for a while. In this moment Inuyasha wasn't distant, he wasn't cold, and he needed her as much as she needed him. She poured all of her pent up feelings into this kiss, begging him to see what had always been in front of his stupid, gorgeous face. A low growl rumbled in his chest at her fervor, and just as he began to part her lips with his tongue another sound froze them in their tracks.

Inuyasha pulled away again quickly, looking across Kagome to Toshiro like he'd completely forgotten that he was there. Kagome turned with him, Inuyasha's soft hair tickling her cheek, and saw to her confusion that Toshiro had his teeth bared in his sleep. Low snarls were coming from between his teeth and his brows scrunched in anger. His hold on her arm had turned deadly, and his ears were perked and twitching. The larger hanyou scoffed and disentangled himself from Kagome, shooting Toshiro an irritated look as he did. The little half youkai stopped his unconscious growling after a minute, loosened his grip on her a fraction, and resumed drooling peacefully on Kagome's sweater.

Then she steeled herself and hesitantly looked to the hanyou beside her, feverently wishing that he felt what she had. Inuyasha flicked his eyes away from hers the moment they met, his expression unreadable and his mouth working.

His ears folded back against his head and Kagome felt her stomach drop.

"Go back to sleep, Kagome." He murmured, still not meeting her eyes.

The miko felt the weight of his rejection press heavily on her chest.

What was the point of even kissing her if he didn't want to, because she was just there? Convenient, her mind whispered to her bitterly. She willed back angry tears and laid back down on her futon with her back to him. She heard him sigh miserably and she wanted to scream.

 _Baka, baka, BAKA!_

She scooped Toshiro into her embrace cuddled him for dear life, trying to draw some sort of comfort from the little hanyou to no avail. Toshiro let out a small sigh himself, but one of contentment and the miko could have sworn she heard Inuyasha growl behind her.

Neither one of them spoke for the rest of the night, their bodies tense and their hearts hurting.


	14. Journey Home

**I absolutely love all of you for your reviews, favorites, and follows. Please continue to give me all your love and attention, as I am vain and thrive off of it lol Let me know what you think of this chapter!**

 **Fourteen**

Inuyasha's eyes peeled open sluggishly, his head cloudy and body heavy. His ears immediately perked and rotated around as he sat up, instinctively taking in his surroundings. He'd done so every morning of his life since he was a pup, since Mother died. The lantern flames had all went out, leaving the room dark and chilled. Inuyasha could hear the chirping of birds outside of the Headman's home, and the soft padding of his pack's feet against the tatami in the main room.

Kagome was still asleep, her back to him and her body curled tight under the blanket around a lump Inuyasha assumed to be the pest. His heart started to feel heavy too as he watched them, his ears drooping. He shouldn't have kissed her the night before. Not because he regretted it, or he didn't want to, but because that was now literally all he could think about. When he'd forced himself to pull away from her it had taken every ounce of his will power not to crush her back to his person. His youkai had raged inside him for hours, furious at the loss of its mate's touch. When he'd finally fallen asleep he'd tossed and turned all night, his dreams filled with the memory of Kagome's lips.

How many times had he told himself that he wouldn't act on his feelings? How many times had he argued with himself that distance from her was for the best? All these months, _years,_ of refusing himself what was rightfully his and for what?

One look from Kagome and his control was non existent.

And the look wasn't even at at _him_.

It was the way she'd looked at Toshiro. That all encompassing, heart stopping look in her eyes as she'd gazed at the half youkai who'd try to kill her not once, but twice. She'd used the very hand that he'd burned and comforted him. She wasn't afraid or disgusted by his abilities. She'd clung to him for days, chasing away his nightmares, holding him when he cried out in his sleep. She'd treated the little half breed most would have turned their noses up at like he was her own blood pup.

Inuyasha couldn't take it.

He'd wanted her, wanted to claim her, to mark her as his own so that everyone would know she was _his._ He'd wanted her to look at him with those guileless brown eyes and be told she loved him too. But she couldn't, and wouldn't, because he'd pushed her away _again._

 _It's for the best. It's for the best._

Inuyasha repeated this in his head like a mantra as he rose from his spot on the floor. Until they got rid of that stupid fuckin' jewel he _would not_ lose control again. No matter how loud his youkai screamed at him to do just that, no matter how much he desperately wanted to. She could be taken away. If she left him the pain would be one thousand times worse than when he thought Kikyou had betrayed him because he knew deep in his bones that she was his true mate. She could disappear with the jewel and then Inuyasha would shatter. Better to save himself the heartache now than later. That was what he tried to convince himself every morning, and what he believed less and less every night.

Inuyasha went to take a deep breath, and then paused with a foot suspended in mid air. He whirled back around to Kagome and inhaled again. Taking a step around the sleeping miko the hanyou saw that it wasn't Toshiro she was squishing to her chest at all, but the pillow the two had shared through the night. The hanyou pup was nowhere to be seen. Inuyasha frowned and stomped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him and marching past the other guest rooms in the large house, sniffing all the while. Toshiro's scent led him down the long corridor, and was hours old. He felt irritation and panic crawl up his spine as he came into the main living area.

Inuyasha could hear the Headman and his family's soft snores on the other side of the house. It was barely sun up, but his pack had been early risers since their days of hunting the Shikon no kakera. Sango and Miroku were seated on plush cushions in the middle of the room, talking quietly to one another. Shippou was on his back, the storybook he looked at held above his head. They all turned to him when he walked in.

"Good morning, Inuyasha." Miroku said pleasantly, leaning back on his hands.

He grunted at the monk/taijia, his nose and ears still straining for signs of his pest. The smaller hanyou wasn't in the house at all, his scent went right out the front door. He turned to Shippou.

"Where is he?"

He heard Sango ask 'Who?' but he wasn't paying attention to her. Shippou slowly sat up, his jade eyes huge and guilty. He sat his book down and wrung his hands.

"He told me he wanted to do it himself." The little kitsune looked up at him through his lashes. "He told me he would be back real soon."

"Why didn't you get me?" Inuyasha barked, then struggled to collect himself when Shippou winced. "He could be anywhere, and he doesn't have control of his youkai! He could hurt someone! Where did he go?!"

He smelled Kagome before he heard her shuffling down the hall and he tried to ignore the jolt her scent caused in his chest. Maybe if he pretended last night never happened he could gain control of himself again, maybe he could look at her without the constant urge to cover her in his own scent. Kagome yawned loudly and brushed past him without a look in his direction, and he pretended it didn't hurt. She sunk to the floor beside Shippou, immediately pulling the kit into her lap before finally blinking her sleepy eyes at the tense hanyou.

"What are you yelling about, baka?" She asked tiredly.

"Toshiro appears to have run off." Miroku said for him.

That woke the miko up.

"What? When?" Kagome's hold on Shippou tightened a fraction. "Where did he go?"

Inuyasha growled again. "That's what I'm tryna figure out, wench."

"When did he wake up? Sango asked worriedly.

"Last night." Grumped Inuyasha. "I fell asleep for one second and the little fucker runs off."

"He'll be back soon!" Shippou assured, his head turned to Kagome and his voice sure.

"He'd better or I'm thumpin ya!"

"You are not _thumping_ him!" Kagome turned on him, her hair and her eyes wild. "It's not his fault!"

"How about I thump you then?" Inuyasha bared his teeth. "You were the one holdin' him all night! How the hell didn't you realize he'd snuck off?!"

Kagome shot to her feet, her face red and Shippou dangling from her arms. "Well I didn't see your super hanyou senses noticing it either, baka!"

"Keh! I was asleep!"

" _Keh!"_ The miko mocked bitterly. "Sleep is for weak, remember?"

His face flushed in anger and before he exploded at her he heard the front door quietly slide open. All eyes turned to the little figure standing in the doorway, to Toshiro.

He looked at them all in surprise, his cheeks and the tip of his nose bright pink from the bite of cold outside, bits of snow still clinging to his hair and clothes. One of his hands still rested on the bamboo door, and from the other dangled a rabbit carcass. The little hanyou's face reddened further when he noticed Inuyasha's eye on it.

"You did it!" Shippou exclaimed into the silence.

He wriggled from Kagome's grasp and landed softly on his paws, then ran to the little hanyou, ushering him inside as he looked over the kill. The rabbit was gutted and mostly cleaned, tiny bits of fur still clinging to it.

"Tch. I said I would." Toshiro muttered. When Shippou reached out a hand to touch the rabbit the hanyou pulled it out of his reach. "Don't touch it!"

All the adults watched with wide eyes as Toshiro then turned to them, the blush never leaving his face. He jut his chin out and marched into the warm room, his kill held firmly and his eyes determined. He stopped directly in front of where Kagome still stood, her mouth parted, and dropped the kill at her feet with a resounding _plot_. He then dropped to his knees in front of it, folded back his ears, and looked up through his long dark lashes at her.

Inuyasha gasped. Sango and Miroku looked perplexedly at one another. Shippou smiled. Kagome shot the older hanyou a panicked look as she sunk to her knees on the other side of the rabbit, her eyes huge and confused. Inuyasha moved to her side and squatted beside her, a small, proud smirk forming on his face as he looked at the still kneeling hanyou.

"Inu-inuyasha?" Kagome whispered, her eyes darting from his smile to Toshiro's worried face. "I don't . . . I don't understand what's happening?"

"He's brought you his first kill." Inuyasha said warmly, just loud enough for the others to hear. "He's recognizing you as his Alpha. He's apologizing."

As if to back up Inuyasha's explanation, Toshiro reached out a hesitant hand and went to grab at Kagome. The little hanyou shot the older a questioning look, and when Inuyasha nodded at him Toshiro closed the distance between his hand and Kagome's and wrapped his fingers around her bandaged wrist. Kagome inhaled sharply, and the little hanyou's golden eyes flicked to her worriedly and he loosened his hold, afraid he was hurting her. He used his other hand to move her fingers to his liking; extending her pointer finger and balling the rest into a fist.

Everyone collectively held their breaths as Toshiro then moved her hand and poked himself in the middle of his forehead with her finger. His eyes never left hers as he did this, and Inuyasha watched in awe as tears formed in his amber orbs and he returned her hand safely to her lap.

Toshiro was still gazing at Kagome, his look afraid and hopeful at the same time. Kagome looked down at her still pointed finger in confusion, and then to Inuyasha with a question in her eyes.

"He-he just gave you permission to punish him." Inuyasha tried to clear the lump in his throat before he continued. "Youkai rarely punish their young physically so a pluck to the head or nose, a grab at their scruff or ears, is how they're usually disciplined. He just asked you to forgive him, he's . . . trying to cement his place in the pack. He's submitting to you."

Kagome's eyed widened at him, and then it was like Inuyasha didn't exist at all. With a watery smile Kagome reached out and yanked Toshiro from his kneeling position and into her arms. The little hanyou let out a surprised little squeak but didn't protest as she hugged him tight around the neck and buried her face between his puppy ears, crying softly all the while.

"Of course I forgive you, Toshi." She said into his hair. "You've been a part of our family since the beginning. You never, ever have to worry that we'll turn our backs on you. This pack is your family. You will never be alone again."

Toshiro turned to silly putty in her arms, his clawed hands going around her waist and gripping onto her pink sweater as if he were afraid someone would rip him away. The rest of the pack looked on at the two with soft smiles. Sango wiped a stray tear away. Miroku patted his wife lovingly on the back. Shippou, grinning widely, trotted over to where Inuyasha still squatted and stood in between the large hanyou's legs. Inuyasha moved to sink fully to the ground beside the still hugging duo, pulling Shippou securely into his lap with one hand and ruffled his hair with the other. The little kitsune gave him an astonished look, and then positively beamed.

Then Kagome's stomach growled loudly and broke through the serenity of the moment.

Toshiro pulled back immediately at the sound, his eyes misty but concerned as he looked up at the miko. "You're hungry."

Kagome's look turned sheepish as she said. "Yeah, I guess I am."

The little hanyou hopped off her lap, quickly picking up his forgotten kill.

"Eat." He said simply, holding the meat out to her.

Miroku chuckled at her bewildered expression.

Inuyasha cleared his throat, Toshiro's ears flicked in his direction. "Go to Sango, pest. She'll help you cook it for Kagome."

Toshiro nodded at him, that determined look back in his golden eyes, and then padded over to the taijia. Shippou wiggled out of Inuyasha's hold to join the two as they, along with Miroku, settled around the fire pit.

Inuyasha turned to Kagome, the warm feeling in his chest and his desire to kiss her suffocating. She smiled shyly at him, her eyes not really meeting his, then moved to sit around the fire with others. Inuyasha watched with pride as Toshiro cut rabbit meat into sizeable strips with his claws, his eyes flicking to Sango every few seconds to ensure that he was doing it correctly. Kagome sat on his other side and the little hanyou shifted closer to her as he worked, Shippou climbed onto her lap.

Inuyasha rose himself and headed to the still open door, then glanced over at his family as they smiled, and giggled, and talked at one another. Not one of the idiots realized that one rabbit wouldn't feed them all.

"Keh." He snorted with a smirk, then went off to hunt down the rest of their breakfast.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

The Headman and his daughter had thanked them profusely before they left, showering them with food for their journey and good will. Emiko had hugged both Shippou and Toshiro, and Inuyasha was proud of the pest for not shoving the human pup off of him. He just grimaced and held himself completely still until the little gap-toothed girl pulled away. As they'd walked back down the long road and into the forest they left cheers and hollers of thanks behind them from the villagers.

They'd traveled sereval uneventful hours after that, the sun throwing gleams of light off of the snow and the forest alive around them. They had quite a way until they were home but none of them seemed to mind the walk, still high on their victory. Miroku and Sango walked ahead of the pack, the pups in the middle and talking excitedly about all the training they'd be doing when they got home. Or rather, Shippou talking excitedly and Toshiro listening to his companions chatter with a small smile. Kagome walked beside Inuyasha silently, her eyes on the boys and her look dreamy. She looked happy, but Inuyasha had not missed that she'd barely spoken to him since they left the village.

Inuyasha wished that there was a way for him to apologize, for him to make her understand that he wasn't pushing her away because he didn't want her. How could he tell her that she was his mate, but that he would not claim her? How could he tell her that she was everything he had ever wanted, but her being taken away was everything that he had ever feared? He just couldn't make himself do it. Every time he tried his throat closed up as if a hand were wrapping around his windpipe, preventing the words he desperately needed to say from leaving his mouth.

The feel of a familiar, lazy aura reached out to him. He was snapped from his depressing thoughts and to attention as the youki got nearer, more insistent. He turned to his miko and grabbed onto her arm, halting her, before raising his voice so the others could hear as he he said, "I'll be back! My brother and I need to talk. Keep moving, I'll catch up."

He noticed that Toshiro had shot him a look of surprise, and worry, and he knew that the little hanyou and Shippou wouldn't have been able to sense his ass of a brother; Sesshomaru had long ago learned how to mask his youki, and how to project it out to those he wished. Inuyasha darted off, following his brother's arrogant aura to find him standing alone in the shadow of a large tree, his face impassive.

Inuyasha made a point of looking around. "Where's your entourage?

The Lord of the West gave him an unamused look. "You sent your annoying vassal for me, brother. What is it you want?"

"You know him."

Sesshomaru didn't insult Inuyasha by pretending not to know who the hanyou meant.

"Hn."

"And I'm gonna take a leap here and guess that you ain't gonna tell me how." Inuyasha was rewarded with his brother's flat look and sighed, folding his arms into his haori. "Do you know what he can do?"

The inu youkai raised a single sharp brow.

"His youki manifested as flames." The hanyou answered in a hard voice. "He lost control during our job, his youkai surfaced, and the pup almost roasted us all alive. If you won't tell me where the hell he came from, at least tell me if you've heard of inu youkai having this ability because I damn sure haven't."

Sesshomaru's eyes had widened slightly, but the Lord quickly covered his momentary look of surprise. He spoke after a moment.

"It is rare, but not unheard of. The previous Inu no Taisho's youki could also manifest in this way."

" _What?!"_

"How you know not your own father's abilities shows just how ignorant you are, half breed." Sesshomaru drawled.

Inuyasha growled lowly. "How the hell was I supposed to know that? I never fuckin' met the old man, and you sure as hell never shared any heartwarming stories!"

The inu youkai snorted. "Your own sword has the ability to wield fire, baka."

"That came from absorbing Kinka!"

"Your sword would not have wielded his power if it were not already familiar with the element."

Inuyasha furrowed his brow, glancing down at the sword strapped to his hip. After a pause he said, "Why aren't you goin' around spouting fire then."

"You and I did not inherit Otou-san's ability."

Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair. He could barely hear his pack anymore as they moved farther and farther down the forest trail.

"Did Toshiro inherit it, then? His mother was the youkai, right?" He remembered hearing the pup's whimpering in his sleep a few nights ago; small, high pitched inu sounds that pups instinctively made when distressed and calling out for their mother. Inuyasha burned with questions Sesshomaru obviously had no intentions of answering.

"Hn."

Fuck it, he'd try anyway. "Who was she?"

Sesshomaru's lips turned down slightly. He didn't look as if he wanted to speak but he eventually did. "She was a very powerful youkai."

"Was?"

"She's dead."

Inuyasha felt like pulling his hair out. "Why won't you just tell me how you know Toshiro, you bastard!"

To Inuyasha's surprise his brother's look turned soft, thoughtful. "He does not wish me to do so. He will tell you when he is ready."

The hanyou's eyes widened. Since when did the bastard do as he was asked? Sesshomaru was fond of the pest, that much was obvious. Inuyasha had never seen that look in the inu youkai's eyes unless he was talking about Rin. And as much as he wanted to argue and beat the answers out of his brother's damn face, he had to respect that the Inu no Taisho was honoring Toshiro's wishes.

"Keh."

"Did you kill Leiko?" Sesshomaru asked conversationally.

"Kagome did." The pride in his voice was palpable.

"Hn." The youkai hummed. He regarded his younger brother for a moment, then said suddenly, "She's too good for you."

Shock went through Inuyasha before he bristled. "The _fuck_ did you just say?"

But the Lord of the West was already turning on his heel, his hair and Mokomoko-sama flowing in the wind. He threw a suggestion over his shoulder as he strode into the trees, his voice still devoid of emotion.

"Seal his youki, as father did for you. Until the boy learns control, he is a danger."

"Keh!" Inuyasha snarled at his back. "I know that, I don't need you to tell me how to look after my own fuckin' pup!"

He didn't see Sesshomaru's small smile at his words as the inu youkai shot off of the snow laden ground and into the sky. Inuyasha curled his lip at his brother's retreating figure, then turned at a run to catch up to his family.

"Fucking bastard." He seethed, irritated that he hadn't gotten as much as he wanted from his ass of an elder brother.

But at least he knew now what to do next, and who exactly he needed to go to to get it done.

 **OK I know that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father didn't really have fire abilities, but it's my fic dammit and in this story he did! I want Toshiro to be connected to our dearly departed Inu no Taisho in some way. You'll have to stick around to see why ;) I hope you guys liked this chapter! Our little boy is opening up, but there's still lots of trails and tribulations ahead. Thank you for your patience! Follow, favorite, review! I love youuuu**


	15. Duh

**Thank you for your patience, lovelies!**

* * *

 **Fifteen**

The evening of their first day of travel their camp site was ambushed by a band of possum youkai looking to take the Shikon no Tama for themselves. The pack had dealt with the vermin accordingly, all of course except Toshiro, who Inuyasha had refused to let fight. They were attacked again the following afternoon by a massive boar youkai, but again Toshiro was told to stay out of the way, to stay safe, to keep his emotions in check while the others killed the beast.

The older hanyou had not been joking about making the smaller train harder, and until Toshiro had better control of his youki he would not be allowed to participate in battles. So the black haired hanyou spent the early mornings, afternoon lunch breaks, and times before dinner during their journey training with his mentor. He was made to practice his tracking across twice the distance he usually had to. He was made to mock hunt and battle with Inuyasha, and occasionally Shippou, twice as long.

On the morning of the their final day walking home Toshiro had slipped up. Shippou had been instructed to transform into a rabbit and Toshiro was to chase down and pin him, Shippou's lesson was to avoid being caught. After almost an hour of being unable to capture the kit-rabbit in the blue bow Toshiro's frustration had gotten the better of him and he'd lost control of his youki for a split second. He had not turned into the bloodthirsty demon that had since haunted his dreams, but a thin film of fire had emerged to dance across his skin, leaving singed patches in his green t-shirt and scorching footprints left in his wake, effectively scaring the daylights out of his brother when Shippou had glanced over his shoulder.

Toshiro had gotten a flick to the nose and a lecture for it.

The rest of their travel home was uneventful. They'd finally made it back on the afternoon of the fourth day.

The young hanyou never thought that he'd be excited to the village. Never in a million years had he thought that the sight of the village's rice fields and small wooden huts would make him think of _home._

Smiles and waves of welcome greeted them as the pack made their way through the village to Kaede's. Children running and playing shouted Shippou's name, Toshiro's name much more subdued on their tongues as they passed. He felt his ears droop a little. Was he so mean that the other children were afraid of him? What would they do, what would they think, if they found out about his ability?

An elbow prodded the young hanyou in his side, pulling Toshiro from his thoughts. He flicked his amber eyes beside him and saw that Shippou's green eyes shone with a playful glint.

"Race you?" He grinned.

Toshiro rolled his eyes. "Are you serious?"

"Well if you're that afraid that you'd lose . . ." Shippou drawled, but glancing back to the hanyou he saw that Toshiro had already taken off, throwing a smirk over his shoulder as he ducked around a village woman's legs.

"HEY! YOU CHEATER!"

He took off after his brother, giggling madly and leaving the adults behind.

The young hanyou grinned as he skidded to a stop in front of Kaede's hut. He was secretly proud of himself; he'd followed the scents of herbs and miko almost effortlessly through the village and was able to find it on his own. Shippou was a minute or so behind him, a sheen of sweat covering his skin and his breath coming out of him in pants. The kitsune glared at his barely winded companion as he leaned against the hut.

"Are you sure you're not half cheetah youkai?" The little redhead grumbled.

Toshiro snickered smugly. "When you start really training, maybe you'll stand a chance of keeping up with me."

"Pft. When did you get so cocky?." Shippou snarled playfully, moving the curtain on the hut aside to enter Kaede's home. "Sore winner."

Toshiro snorted as he followed. "Is that even a thing?"

But Shippou didn't respond, smiling broadly at the old woman who was braiding sage into thick bundles and humming to herself.

"Hello Kaede!"

She grinned at the boys as they sat across from her. Toshiro inclined his head respectfully.

"I take it ye mission went well?"

"Of course it did." It was Inuyasha, his voice boasting as he came into the hut directly behind Kagome. "Poor bastards didn't stand a chance."

Kaede chuckled as the two seated themselves, her good eye soft and knowing as she watched Toshiro shift closer to Kagome's side.

"Where are Sango and Miroku?" She asked after a moment.

"They went back to their hut to recuperate." Kagome said. "Poor Sango looked so tired."

Toshiro silently agreed. During their journey home the hanyou had noticed that the slayer's steps started lagging the longer they walked, she wasn't injured in any of their battles but the pack had had to make more stops to allow her to rest than they had on their way to the village in the West. He had also noticed a strange, barely there change in her scent. He made a note to ask Shippou if he'd also smelled the difference later.

"I'd be tired too if I had to swat that pervert offa my ass every five seconds." Inuyasha was snorting.

"Language, Inuyasha." Kaede chided automatically before she continued. "Kagome, will ye be training before dinner?"

The young miko nodded studiously. "I was actually thinking of having Toshiro join us."

The hanyou in question flicked his ears up, his eyes going wide in confusion. It was Inuyasha who spoke up.

"What the hell would he benefit from miko training?" His nose scrunched up.

"Kaede has me meditate for half of our training time. It's helped me control and channel my miko's energy a lot over the years. I feel like it would be good for Toshiro, it could help him focus his youki."

Kaede looked concerned at this, her brown eye moving to the little hanyou. "Did ye transform young man?"

"Yes." He swallowed. "My youki turns into flames when I lose control of myself. It is dangerous, and I must not let it happen again."

The old miko looked impressed by the conviction in his voice and nodded.

"Meditation does wonders for one's impulse control. Ye are more than welcome to join us if that is what ye wish, Toshiro."

Toshiro flicked his eyes to Inuyasha, who still looked unsure, then to Kagome who gave him an encouraging smile. His eyes turned back to Kaede surely.

"It is."

"Great!" Kagome clapped. "We can get started as soon as I get back."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "And where the hell are you going?"

"Home, baka." Inuyasha's lip curled at the word. Not the insult, the little hanyou suspected, but the word 'home'. "I need a bath, and we need more supplies. Plus, Toshiro needs more clothes."

"The clothes I have are fine." The boy in question tilted his head.

Kagome patted him on the knee, the young hanyou becoming momentarily distracted by the seemingly thoughtless touch. "All you have are t-shirts and half of them were destroyed, Toshi. Even though I know hanyous are more durable than us humans, you should still have warm clothes."

Toshiro's cheeks pinked at her thoughtfulness.

"What he needs is clothes made for a youkai." Inuyasha grunted. "Your puny human clothing won't do much to keep him warm, plus he'll burn right through them the moment he loses his shit."

"Language, Inuyasha." Kaede's eye narrowed sternly.

"Keh."

"I'm getting them anyway." Kagome flipped her thick hair over a shoulder before she rose from her spot. She leaned down to plant a big, wet kiss on Shippou's giggling cheek, then squeezed Toshiro's shoulder once lightly. 'I'll be back before dinner."

"You better fuckin' be or I'm dragging you back by your ankles!" Inuyasha barked as the woman left the hut with a roll of her eyes.

"You shouldn't talk to her that way." Toshiro said defensively, surprising even himself as everyone turned wide eyes to him.

"Awe, he's protective now." Inuyasha snorted at the smaller hanyou's blush, rising himself and crossing his arms into his haori. "Why don't we put all this energy you found to mouth off to good use? Time to train."

Shippou whined. "But we just got here!"

"And now we're just leaving." Inuyasha marched out of the hut without a backward glance. "Let's go pups."

Toshiro allowed himself a low, "Tch." but rose to follow the older hanyou into the cold. Shippou groaned dramatically and threw a pleading glance over his shoulder at Kaede, but the old miko just chuckled into her hand and wished them good luck.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

Toshiro was panting, his dark blue t-shirt sticking to him with sweat. Shippou was under him, his nose and brows scrunched in frustration as the older boy held him pinned to the snow by his arms. His blue bow was loose and his hair was a wild, red tangle around his head.

The young hanyou turned his eyes to their overseer for approval, and in the vain hope that Inuyasha would end their combat Training for the day. The white haired hanyou nodded his head from his perch in a tree, eyes bright in the waning sunlight, and then grunted out, "Again."

Shippou groaned, and Toshiro bit back a growl as the two sprang apart and back to their respective corners of the clearing behind Inuyasha's hut. The two boys circled one another, teeth bared and claws extended. Toshiro watched Shippou's feet, knowing that while he was physically stronger, the kit was fast and used his smaller size to his advantage.

"Eyes up, pest!"

Just as Toshiro sent a glare his mentor's way, Shippou leapt across the small clearing and clawed out at him. The hanyou barely had enough time to duck. Shippou used his momentum to throw himself over his crouching brother, rolling out before finding his feet under him again.

"It would also be smart to keep your eyes on your opponent." Inuyasha drawled impatiently.

"Well, if you'd shut up." Toshiro hissed lowly.

"Oi! I heard that, you little shit!"

Toshiro ground his teeth, ignoring the other hanyou and launching himself at Shippou's midsection only for the kitsune to spin out of his reach and smack him upside the head. The smaller boy bounced on the balls of his paws, covered in a sheen of sweat with a smug smirk and glinting jade eyes. Toshiro did growl this time.

"Stop concentrating on a single area! Always focus on your opponent as a whole, you have to be able to anticipate his movements and react to them. Look for an opening!"

Toshiro grudgingly followed his mentor's sharp words, watching how Shippou feinted left, then right, then left. The kitsune pushed him back a step with a sweep of his claws, his face set in determination as he leapt for Toshiro again. The hanyou met the attack head on with a near roar, and just as he wrapped his hands around Shippou's middle the other boy disappeared in a puff of smoke. Before Toshiro could react he was shoved to the ground, a sharp knee in the middle of his back and a wicked chuckle breathing against his nape.

"You little sneak." The hanyou snarled into the snow, his sweat rapidly cooling as he panted for breath.

He heard Inuyasha jump from his tree with a soft thud, the crunch of his bare feet in the snow as the older hanyou stopped beside the still pinned Toshiro and the grinning kit.

Inuyasha crouched in front of Toshiro, his eyes a bright gold against the purple sky.

" _Never_ expect your enemy to play fair." He said seriously. "We're done with hand to hand for now."

The pressure against the hanyous back disappeared, and then there was a small hand in his face. He took it, allowing the other boy to help him to his feet. Shippou was grinning like a maniac, his breathing hard and his hair plastered to his head. As irritated as Toshiro was that the kit had managed to pin him a good six times in the past two hours, he had to admit that his brother's glee was infectious.

"You're learning fast." he smirked as they followed Inuyasha around the side of their hut. "Even though you snuck me."

Shippou snorted. "I'm a fox youkai, illusions are my only advantage."

Toshiro placed a thoughtful hand on his chin as he went over their mock battle in his head. "I wouldn't call that your _only_ advantage, though it is a pretty good one. You're quick on your feet, and your small frame and feminine clothing could easily cause someone to underestimate you. I did."

"Gee, thanks." Shippou rolled his eyes with a tolerant chuckle.

"Oi!"

They were standing by the front door of their dark hut, Inuyasha with his hands fisted on his hips and an impatient look on his face as the boys turned to him. It was nearly sundown and the miko had yet to come back, Toshiro had no doubt that that was why Inuyasha had gotten more and more grumpy throughout their training.

"I'm gonna go get Kagome, the wench should have been back by now. Stupid woman." His eyes shot in the direction of the forest, and to the well that resided inside of it. "I want the two of you to go straight to Miroku's, and stay there until I get back with your mo- with your Kagome."

Toshiro's eyes widened in shock as Shippou tried to hold in his snickering. Inuyasha's bright red face was an indicator of the kit's failed attempt if there ever was one.

"Keh! Move it, runts!" And then the hanyou was darting off, his hair and haori trailing behind him.

The boys made their way leisurely to their instructed destination, stretching their tired muscles as they walked.

Toshiro still reeling from Inuyasha's almost slip up.

"Was he-was he about to call the miko our mother?"

Shippou giggled. "Yeah. You wouldn't believe how many times I've caught him almost calling her his mate. I honestly don't know how she hasn't realized yet."

But Inuyasha's slip of the tongue wasn't what had stunned the young hanyou, it was the intention behind it. He had only been with this pack for a little over a month, and was just getting used to the idea of them thinking of him as one of their own. Did Inuyasha and Kagome think of him as _their own?_ He knew that they had both lain claim to the kitsune, but _him_?

Toshiro had never had parents; he had never known his human father, and the only reason he knew what his mother looked like was because of an old tattered painting that he'd stolen and was no doubt ash by now. No one had ever claimed him in any sense, no one but Katsumi. And she had told him that the way he was treated by her was normal, was how a hanyous ought to be treated, and that he should expect nothing more from any sensible being. He was a useless half breed after all, a burden. No one would ever want to claim him as their own pup.

Except Inuyasha and Kagome apparently had.

"You've got that stupid look on your face again." Shippou said warily. "What're you overthinking about?"

"He-they claim me?" He stuttered, his brows furrowed in confusion.

He tried to push down the ridiculous bit of hope that fluttered in his chest, tried to snuff out the way the fire of his youki danced in his veins in excitement. They didn't, couldn't claim him. Not like that. Not like they did with Shippou. Maybe it was convenient to have him around, but they couldn't want him as their _pup_. Why would they want a rude, temperamental, unfocused, unskilled maggot. Katsumi said that she was the only one who could ever love him. Katsumi said that he was an abomination, and would be a fool to think someone would ever want him. Katsumi said that the only place he would ever belong was at her feet. Katsumi said-

"Duh."

Toshiro whirled on the kitsune, who had stopped his stride to give him an equally confused look.

"You haven't figured that out yet?"

"But-I don't under-"

"What is there to misunderstand? Kami, please don't tell me you're as dense as them! I'm the youngest! Why do I have to be the one to state the obvious!? You're. Pack. And even more than that, you're my brother."

The young hanyou swallowed and scratched at his cut ear nervously, at the mark that reminded him every day just how useless he was. "But why would they want me?"

"Why not? You're smart, and strong, and kinda funny under that constant frown of yours." Shippou shrugged, watching his paws leave prints in the snow as they began walking again. "Inuyasha and Kagome may be too blind to see what's right in front of them, but you don't need to be. The four of us, we're a family. I've felt it since the day we ran into Sesshomaru. And dammit I need help getting those two to finally realize it!"

Toshiro just gaped at the shorter boy, at how he could sound so sure about accepting a near stranger into his makeshift family. Katsumi and Orochi's voices were like a whispered poison in the back of his head, telling him not to believe Shippou, telling him that he would only bring pain to these people. But Toshiro shoved the thoughts deep down, tired of keeping his distance, tired of holding himself back from this kitsune who had claimed him without hesitation, and the pack who treated him like he mattered. Even if those phantom voices were right . . . even if the pack did end up rejecting him, he was determined to enjoy having a family as long as he could.

All throughout Toshiro's epiphany Shippou had continued to yammer on, his arms waving around him as they maneuvered around village men and women. The sun was setting fast and the villagers were bustling about, gathering ingredients for their dinners and rounding up their children.

" . . . I mean, do you know how many times I've tried? Do you realize how _hard_ it is getting our parents to realize that they're our parents?! _NO!_ Kagome is a saint, I don't know how she put's up with Inuyasha. He's such a prideful _baka_. He behaves like our dad; claims us, protects us, feeds us, trains us. But you know what he did when I slipped and called him father a year ago? Do ya? He thumped me! He actually only stopped thumping me when you showed up! The baka pushes his own mate away, acts like he doesn't care about her, but the moment someone touches her he's all growly and ready to spill blood! Do you know how I know he claims you? You are literally the only male I've seen touch Kagome he hasn't tried to kill, beside myself of course."

An unexpected peel of laughter bubbled up from Toshiro's belly. Though Shippou grinned at the sound, the kit continued in an exasperated manner.

"The sad part is, that I'm not even kidding. He still goes after Miroku sometimes and he's married for Kami's sake." He slapped a hand to his forehead for good measure.

"Speaking of the humans." Toshiro jumped at the opportunity to change the subject; he needed time to process all that his talkative companion had said. "Have you noticed a strange smell coming from the slayer?"

They'd finally made it to the married couple's hut, and as Shippou pushed aside the dividing curtain he looked over his shoulder and said, "Yeah, I've smelled that scent before on some of the breeding females in the village. It's because Sango's pregnant."

There was a shatter inside the hut, and both boys whipped around to face the topic of their conversation. Sango had dropped a clay bowl, spilling the contents of their assumed dinner on the wooden floor, her hands were pressed against her mouth and her eyes were as wide as the ocean.

"I'm _what_?!"

And then, from his place seated by the fire pit, the monk fainted.

* * *

 **I have so much fun writing this story, and I am so glad you guys have been enjoying it so far. There's _so_ much more to come, guys, so stick around! I hope you guys like this chapter**


	16. Instinct

**Hi guys! Happy New Year! I know I take forever to upload between chapters, and I'm so sorry about that! Work has been kicking my ass and I've just started back at school this week too. I hope you guys stick with me though and have been enjoying my story. Trust me, it is no where near over.**

* * *

 **Sixteen**

When Inuyasha had finally returned, dragging an irritated Kagome behind him, he'd seen the pups and the taijia all in a panic; Sango in a corner, silent tears streaming down her face and a squished kitsune in her arms. Shippou was trying desperately to free himself from the slayer's death grip, but for all of his youkai strength he was unable to get away, squirming and squealing for help when he saw Inuyasha and Kagome stop dead in the doorway. Toshiro was kneeling over Miroku's unconscious body, slapping the deliriously grinning monk repeatedly on the cheek.

A week had gone by since Shippou had inadvertently told Sango that she was carrying her first pup. Inuyasha had known of course, but was going to let the humans find out for themselves. Humans always got so sappy when it came to new pups. Leave it to his talkative brat to let it slip. When Miroku had finally woken up, and Kagome had managed to pry her kit from her best friend, the couple had been so ridiculously happy that they hadn't let go of each other for the rest of the evening, and most of the following day.

Inuyasha envied them.

"What're you thinking about?" Someone whispered.

Inuyasha cracked open his eyes, releasing a heavy sigh as he regarded the hanyou pup who was peeking out of one of his own golden orbs across from him.

"About how stupid I was to let you talk me into this." He grunted, quickly snapping his eyes shut when he felt the swat of a bare branch against the back of his head.

"No talking!" Kaede barked. "Concentrate."

"Keh."

He took a deep, calming breath, willing his hackles to relax. He followed the wise woman's instructions and tried to quiet his mind, not just for his pup's sake, but because the hag kinda knew what she was talking about. Though he had much better control over his youki than he used to, he had to admit that he was having an easier time controlling his baser urges after just a week of meditation.

The old miko had turned out to be quite the militant, and Inuyasha thought that he was bad. There was no talking during training, no giggling, no complaints. One was to become aware of every speck of their energy, to will it to pool in various areas of their bodies, to shove it deep down inside themselves and then to drag it up to just beneath their skin over and over. He was never allowed to sit in when Kagome did her miko training before and the hanyou had never understood why. Now he did. Even the slightest sign of distraction was snuffed out by Kaede and her surprisingly stinging switch. The old woman had an eye like a hawk. Every afternoon before lunch for the past week the hag had collected Toshiro to train with Kagome and because of those big, pleading eyes the pup had convinced him and even Shippou to take part in the daily torture after the first day. They sat around the fire pit in the middle of Kaede's hut, the blaze high and filled with calming herbs, the bustle of the village a distant thrum, the old priestess marching around them, sometimes murmuring calming words and sometimes popping one of the twitching pups or the distracted young miko with her Kami-damned stick.

Inuyasha was one more smack away from snapping the thing in half.

They had been at it for over an hour when Inuyasha heard Shippou's stomach growl clear across the fire. Before the hanyou could stop himself he was on his feet and declaring the training over, his youkai taking on it's new strange paternal edge and demanding the kit be fed. He was out of the door before Kagome opened her eyes and on his way into the thick of his forest. He was surprised when he heard the soft patter of the pups tailing him a moment later.

"What're you brats doing?" He grunted, not even bothering to turn around as he darted through the village.

He did slow though, allowing the pups to catch up to him, to flank him on either side.

"We want to hunt." Shippou panted.

"You just got through training, and I put the two of you through the wringer this morning. Go home."

They had been awoken before dawn to mock fight with wooden swords and claws until their limbs ached. Inuyasha had taken their whining and groaning in stride, and when they were half way done their morning training he spoke to them of their growth, how they were already slightly faster, a smidge stronger. Neither pup complained after that. Neither pup turned around now.

Inuyasha smirked, pushing himself a little faster and acknowledged the bit of pride he felt when they kept up with him.

"Keh."

Once they were under the cover of trees their hunt lasted less than twenty minutes and Inuyasha noticed, not for the first time, that the pups had extremely competitive natures. It was a good thing though, he thought. They goaded each other, challenged each other, pushed one another's limits. When Shippou had managed to climb a nearby tree and take down a large bird Toshiro's face had screwed up a second before he took off, dragging two fat rabbits back with him through the bush upon his return. Shippou scowled at his peer's kill and then scented and tracked down a boar. Even though Inuyasha was impressed at his gall he knew that the kitsune wasn't yet ready for such large game, and killed the beast himself before the brat got hurt. In the end they had enough meat to last the lot of them at least a week.

Inuyasha slowly walked them through the steps of gutting and cleaning, guiding and correcting as they each carefully cleaned a rabbit. Inuyasha skinned and gutted the rest of their kills in no time and then they were back off through the trees and into the village to show Kagome. The miko was in the garden behind Miroku and Sango's hut, pulling up vegetables for their meals before they were on her, shoving the meat in her face and demanding her attention.

"Okay, okay boys!" Kagome said over their loud calls of her name, gently slapping their hands away as they crowded her space. "Not all at once!"

"Look, Kagome I took down a bird!"

"Tch, my rabbits are better."

"Well I hunted down a boar! It's way bigger and better than your rabbits!"

"Keh! I'm the one who took down the stupid pig. And I'm the one who hauled the damn thing home!" Inuyasha grunted with aforementioned kill on his shoulders.

"Boys!" Kagome laughed. "I'm very proud of all of my big, strong hunters."

Not one of them could help the way their chests puffed out in pride. Or the identical, simultaneous, near blinding grins they gave her in return.

Inuyasha knew that he was behaving like a pup, knew that the slayer was seated beside them, giggling into her hand as they vied for the young priestess's attention. But he could help it no more than the boys could. It was in their instincts, they were canid youkai after all; it was in their nature to want to prove to their female, their mother and mate, that they could provide and care for her, to prove that they were strong and smart and capable.

He thought of Kagome with the titles without even meaning to, and found that they didn't bother him nearly as much as he tried to convince himself they did. He didn't attempt to stop the blush that stained his face when Kagome smacked a wet kiss on his cheek, the weight of the boar on his shoulders becoming as light as air. She leaned in to show the same affection to each of the pups, and even Toshiro was unable to completely quell his preening under the miko's attention.

"You've got three handsome men bringing you gifts, Kagome." Sango finally spoke up, smiling warmly. "I'm jealous."

"You wound me, wife." Miroku walked up the dirt path, his nose scrunching when he noticed the bloody meat dangling from the hands of the other males. "Why would you want such horrid offerings? The flowers I pick you are much prettier."

"Keh!" Inuyasha took the meat from the boys, stomping past the monk to stash their food in his friend's hut. "She can't eat flowers, ya useless lecher."

Miroku's response was something stupid he was sure, but he didn't hear it as he busied himself trying to cool the fire in his blood. His instincts were roaring at him, clawing at the restraint he was so proud to have in place, demanding that he go back and kiss the smile off of Kagome's face. His youkai was high off of it's chosen mate's attention, and desperately wanted more of it.

 _And earlier I thought of her as that again, as my mate. And as their mother. If I keep this up I'll jump her mid sentence. I have to keep myself under control. I_ will _keep myself under control until we purify the jewel._

His youkai growled in challenging disagreement, pacing back and forth in that dark space in the back of Inuyasha's head.

He was distracted from his internal struggle by a sudden prick on the end of his nose. He crossed his eyes, his lips turning down as he took in the flea getting fat off of his blood.

"Ya got two seconds before I flatten you."

The little youkai detached himself with a small pop, leaping to perch on the hand that gripped Shippou's plucked bird.

"Good afternoon, Lord Inuyasha! You taste especially happy this afternoon."

"Keh. What do you want, Myouga?"

"We didn't have a chance to discuss the battle before you sent me for Lord Sesshomaru." He said conversationally. "I heard word that the lot of you took down Leiko and her clan quite easily."

"Most of em'. Some of the bastards got away, but you'd know that if you hadn't run away like a coward!"

The flea sweat dropped. "I'd suddenly remembered that I had urgent matters to attend to."

"Convenient." Inuyasha snorted.

"It's true, my Lord!" The old youkai squeaked. "During your battle I sent word to master Totosai. I assumed because of the nature of your newest ward that the young one would need a sealing sword, and only after you left the West did Totosai send Mo-Mo to me with a note agreeing to commission the weapon. Toshiro will need the seal soon, Master Inuyasha, for I fear that his control will be tried sooner than you wish."

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks, his face turning serious as understood the warning in the flea's tone. "Has word of his flare up spread?"

Myouga nodded grimly. "The hyenas who survived have been heard telling the story of their battle with your pack, my Lord. And their new leader, Tadao, saw young Toshiro burst into flames himself and has been whispering about the events of that day to the youkai underworld."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed as he hefted the boar off of his shoulders and into the hut's storage space. The monk would smoke it and the rest of the meat later. "The bastard is pegging him as a threat."

The flea nodded again. "Word is that Toshiro's transformation is something to behold, that it is a fierce and frightening power. Tadao had his arm ripped off by a mere pup, they say, and a hanyou pup no less."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha's head snapped to him, not bothering to smother the growl inching up his throat.

Myouga balked at the sound.

"I meant no offense, my Lord. I only meant to reiterate what was being said about the young master."

"They can all meet my Tetsusaiga is they have an issue with my pup."

"They know that he is under your protection, and not many would challenge your claim to the boy Master Inuyasha."

"Where is that fucker Tadao, now?" The irritated hanyou growled.

"Rumor has it that the hyena has run to the South. No one knows where exactly, or why. Most of his remaining clansmen have scattered across the territories."

Inuyasha resumed his trek back to the garden and to his pack, pausing to mindlessly wash the blood from his claws in the little stream that kept Sango's crops so beautiful. He took an unsteady breath, willing his hackles to lower and the instinct to hunt down the one eyed bastard to calm. If Toshiro was being labeled as a threat youkai would come after him regardless of what Myouga said about no one challenging Inuyasha's claim. Despite the boy's cunning Toshiro was young, vulnerable, and already more powerful than some youkai three times his age with his flames. A target. Just being born a hanyou was excuse enough for the bastards of youkai society's underbelly to want to kill the pup. Add onto that the fact that the pack harbored the jewel, and they were in for a world of shit.

Inuyasha would cut down anyone who tried to take his pup. And the brooding hanyou wasn't stupid enough to think that Toshiro would take the threats lightly. The pup had started to become annoyingly protective of Shippou after his human night. After he brought Kagome his first kill he lit up under her praise and affection, always kept an eye or an ear in her direction. After the haircut Inuyasha gave him all those weeks ago, the trust and patience the older hanyou had given the younger since, Inuyasha noticed that the pest's eyes cut to him before he made most decisions. Inuyasha knew that regardless of whether Toshiro knew it or not that the pup had instinctively accepted the pack as his family.

He watched his chosen brother's back, vied for his chosen mother's attention, sought out his chosen father's approval. He was more attentive to and open with Sango, more tolerant of Miroku and his nonsense. If anyone posed a threat to the pack now that the pup unconsciously had claimed them all as his own . . . Kami help them if his flames decided to come out and play again.

"When is Totosai gonna be done making the sword?" He finally grunted to the flea.

Myouga shook his head. "He hasn't started it yet."

Inuyasha glared at the little youkai. "Why the hell not!?"

"He wants to use your fang as material, Master Inuyasha. And meet the young fireball before he forges the blade. My visit is not just a social one, Mo-Mo's note also instructed me to retrieve you and the boy and bring you to his Eastern den."

"Keh! Why didn't you just say that to begin with you pain in my ass!"

He flicked the flea off of his haori and stomped off to round up his family.

 **0:0:0:0:0**

Inuyasha told them that they were to leave for the East immediately, that they were going to meet a swordsmith friend of his who would make Toshiro a sword to contain his youki. They had been walking for the better part of the day, the sky a light purple and snow flurries falling into the young hanyou's hair. He lifted his nose to the breeze, smiling softly to himself as snowflakes melted on his flushed cheeks. Sango and Miroku decided to stay in the village, the human male not comfortable with his mate walking the two days into the forest now that he knew she was carrying a pup and Kirara had yet to return. And even though Toshiro was a little uncomfortable with the thought of his pack being separated he couldn't deny that he was kind of . . . excited.

He had been practicing for weeks with sticks and roughly made wooden swords. He and Shippou mock fought for hours every day. He was still made to track and hunt at dusk and dawn. He knew that he was faster, stronger, and more experienced than he had been when he found the pack. He had also become a bit more comfortable with the fire that seemed to always zing in his veins, more comfortable with himself. His body was healthier than he ever remembered it being, his mind even more so.

His youki felt more like a part of him now rather than a foreign, outside threat. The meditation training that Kagome and the old miko put him through was doing wonders for his self control. He'd spent hours becoming familiar with the fire, learning what emotions and memories made it flare and flicker, which made it dull to embers. It was like another being inside of him, one he was slowly getting to know, and one he wasn't as afraid of as he had been in the beginning. He had even been able to summon a tiny flame the day before and contain it to the palm of his hand, and when Shippou and Kagome had given him proud praises his fire turned into a warm rumble in his chest.

He felt good.

He felt . . . happy.

Regardless of the flea youkai who kept giving him strange looks from his seat on Shippou's head.

"Is there something on my face?" He frowned at the balding youkai.

Said flea started, blushing as bright as the red hair he perched in at being caught staring. "Not at all, young master. I was just lost in thought . . ."

"Tch."

"Don't pay him any mind, Toshiro. Myouga is probably just contemplating his next escape route should we run into trouble." Inuyasha grumbled from his place beside Kagome.

"Such disrespect! Lord Touga would have never treated me this way."

"Keh! Be thankful the old man kept your coward ass around."

Toshiro's head tilted. "Touga . . .?"

"He was the previous Inu no Taisho." Kagome said to the confused pup when he looked over his shoulder at her. "Inuyasha's father, and Myouga's previous employer."

"You say it as if Lord Inuyasha pays me, Lady Kagome." The flea grumped, crossing his two sets of arms.

"Oi!"

"Why not just work for Sesshomaru?" The hanyou pup's golden eyes found their way again to the little youkai.

Myouga was already shaking his head. "As much as I respect the Youkai of the West, Lord Sesshomaru is much too cold. Inuyasha is very much like his father, if not a bit more crass."

"Ya got one more time, ya old bastard."

"What was Lord Touga like?" Toshiro asked, ignoring his still sputtering mentor.

Kagome was giggling, comforting the irate older hanyou with soft pats on his arm.

"Honest. And fair. And charming when he chose to be. As stubborn as an ox and as tough as a nail. And warm . . ." Myouga cut his eyes over to Toshiro again, giving him that strange look. "You actually remind me a lot of him, young one."

"Tch." Toshiro blushed lightly, ears flicking.

He had heard stories of the previous Lord of the Western Lands, but never of his name. Whispers of how he was a just and loveable Alpha, and a powerful and fearsome warrior. Katsumi would kill any who dared utter the late youkai's praises, and often spoke herself of how she had hated the dai-youkai when he was alive. Most times Toshiro was too broken to bother paying attention to her rants, but they always seemed especially venomous when she knew that he was listening. She spoke of the Western Lord as weak and inferior, as idiotic and a failure to his people. For what great leader would put a human above his subjects? Who would lower themselves to such filth? What mighty Lord would fall to the likes of a beast that was ended by a mere hanyou? Toshiro remembered her laughing when others told and told the story of how the Great Dog Youkai had met his end. He remembered feeling a flicker of anger at her scorn, fury from somewhere deep, deep inside of him.

"It's getting late. I smell a spring nearby, we're setting up camp in the clearing ahead." Inuyasha grumbled. At Kagome's excited gasp he spun on her. "And no baths!"

The miko puffed out her cheeks and rolled her eyes. She stomped away from the hanyou and wedged herself between a now smirking Toshiro and a giggling Shippou.

"Stupid dog man, never let's me do anything." She pouted childishly.

Toshiro chuckled at the woman's whining, letting his painful memories melt back into that dark space in his mind. There was no point in thinking about that time in his life, of her. If he didn't see the hateful inu-youkai for a thousand years it would be too soon.

He was opening his mouth to say something to hopefully comfort the woman at his side, and to hopefully irritate the other hanyou, when a wind blew through the expanse of the clearing they'd stopped in for camp and he snapped his mouth closed.

A strange, unfamiliar smell swept past his nose. A nimble youki was making its way right to them, strong, and fast, and focused. Toshiro's hackles rose in wary and confusion as Inuyasha let loose a feral growl behind him.

"Oh Kami, here we go." Shippou rolled his eyes and sighed loudly through his nose. Toshiro noticed the kit shift closer to Kagome's side despite his nonchalant tone.

"What do you me-"

"Heyyy Kagome." A whirlwind of brown fur and black hair stopped right in front of the miko, who's smile at the newcomer was indulgent, if not a little exasperated.

"Hello Kouga."

Toshiro glared. So this was the Alpha of the eastern wolf clan. He was tall, and muscular, and he had a mischievous light in his blue eyes. And Toshiro immediately disliked him. His scent was mixed heavily with that of a female, the scents of smaller, younger wolves also clinging to him. He was mated and had pups and yet he was leaning into Kagome's personal space. He was way too close for the young hanyou's liking. Toshiro let out a small snarl along with Inuyasha's much louder one when the wolf reached out to grasp Kagome's hand without her permission.

"I've missed you." The wolf said softly, looking in her eyes as if they were the only two there. "It's been too long since I've seen your pretty face."

Toshiro bared his teeth in warning, but it was Inuyasha who stomped forward and yanked the miko behind his back.

"Back the hell off Kouga."

The wolf rocked back on his heels, his nose scrunched up and smirk plastering on his face. "You're still around dogshit?"

Oh, Toshiro really _really_ didn't like this youkai.

"I ain't going anywhere, you bastard. And neither is Kagome."

Toshiro huffed his agreement and the wolf turned to him, brown tail swishing in interest as he took notice of the hanyou pup for the first time.

"Would you look at this . . ." Kouga made a show of sniffing at him. "Another stray, Kagome?"

"What of it?" Toshiro growled lowly.

Kouga's eyes widened before he chuckled. "And a ballsy one at that."

Kagome sighed impatiently around Inuyasha's shoulder. "Leave him alone, Kouga."

"I'm just teasing." The wolf tried to ruffle Toshiro's hair but the pup folded back his ears and ducked out of reach, snapping his jaws at the outstretched fingers instead. If Kouga had been a second slower he would have had four less fingers. The youkai glared at the young hanyou, and Toshiro was rewarded with the slight look of irritation and shock the wolf gave him when Toshiro did not back down from his silent challenge.

"Oi, don't fuckin touch him!" Inuyasha growled, snapping the youkai's attention away from the seething boy.

"Like I care about some mutt." Kouga scoffed, dismissing the hanyou pup and turning back to Kagome. "When are you going to visit me at the den, Kagome? Ginta and Hakkaku keep asking about you."

Toshiro and Inuyasha's growls escalated, and a small part of the smaller hanyou was surprised when low kitsune snarls joined in.

Kagome moved around her three irritated males, ignoring their combined whines and growls of disapproval as she moved to stand directly in front of the wolf. Her back was straight and the warmth that Toshiro had become accustomed to bled out of the set of her shoulders.

"How's Ayame?" She asked bluntly.

Kouga had the decency to blush. "She's fine. Great. Back in the valley with the pups and the pack."

"Pups?" Some of the fridgedness disappeared from her voice at the word. "You have babies?"

"Yup. Twins; a boy and a girl." The wolf lifted his chin proudly, grinning. Then he looked over the miko's shoulder to sneer at Inuyasha. "Too bad no one can stand you enough to let you sire their pups, huh dog breathe?"

"He has pups." Toshiro snapped before he could stop himself, eyes narrowed to slits. "And she has a mate, so you should back down."

All eyes turned to him in varying degrees of shock, but he didn't let their stares or the embarrassment of his blush deter him. He glared at the wolf with everything he had. The male was behaving dishonorably. He had his own mate and pups and yet he was pawing after _Toshiro's_ Kagome. After Inuyasha and Shippou's Kagome. And the young hanyou had no intentions of letting the wolf step onto their territory.

The wolf's eyes widened for the second time before he burst into laughter.

"Is that so?" Kouga howled. "And who claimed her? You, and the pipsqueak, and the _bigger_ mutt? Ha!"

There was a spark in the air, Kagome's back stiffening at the wolf's words.

Toshiro's eyes flickered with fire as he said in a completely serious voice, "Yes."

"And who's to say that she claims the lot of you?" Kouga wiped an imaginary tear from one of his eyes, his teeth flashing in a grin that bordered on feral. "Who's to say that she would ever even _want_ to?"

The miko's aura crackled like lightning, and then she took a step closer to the wolf. She had to crane her head back to meet his stare, but the sudden surge in her power easily made up their difference in height. Kouga sobered at the sudden viciousness that swirled in her aura, at the low, dangerous rumble emanating from the hanyou at her side who'd moved to block the wolf's view of the pups, at the ice that shone in Kagome's eyes as she said, "I do claim them. And you'd do well to remember that, Kouga."

Toshiro had never heard her speak so coldly, but he could have burst into happy flames at the words, at the claim that settled somewhere deep in his belly. He didn't let his attention be taken away from Kouga as he fought down a grin, as the wolf tried and failed to hold Kagome's gaze.

The youkai scoffed dismissively, even as his eyes showed just how much the priestess had unnerved him with her show of power, even as his head tilted slightly down in submission. He took a wise step back.

"Get lost, before I hack you to pieces." Inuyasha's hand rested comfortably on the hilt of his blade, his tone the mirror of the frowning miko's.

Kouga's top lip curled as he flicked his gaze to the hanyou, then wilted as he again looked to the miko who's aura still popped and snapped with controlled fury.

"I'll uh-I'll see you later Kagome." Kouga said with a forced smile.

The wolf did not try to reach for her hand again before he sped back the way he had come, the slight tang of his fear lingering in his wake.

There was a moment of silence, and then the irritated flow of miko's aura calmed as Kagome let out a steadying breath, turning to see three pairs of eyes staring at her disbelievingly.

"What?" She blinked.

Then, as if suddenly remembering her words, her face burned brighter than Toshiro's youki. Her wide brown eyes darted from green ones, then gold, then honey, and back to green before she squeaked and took off into the trees. Inuyasha stared dumbly at her retreating back for almost a full minute before dropping the yellow bag he carried into the dirt and murmuring for the pups to start setting up camp.

Stay put, he'd said dazedly, he would be back with their mother in a few minutes.

And then he took off at a jog after Kagome into the dark.


	17. Old Friends

**Seventeen**

 _I can't believe I said that!_

Kagome was still shuffling through the dark forest, her hands pressed against her blazing cheeks and her heart still beating a frantic thrum in her chest. She didn't know what had come over her, but when Kouga spoke to Toshiro that way, looked down his nose at the little hanyou as if there was no way Kagome or anyone would ever want him something in the miko's chest had cracked. And from that crack there had seeped a deep, molten, righteous wrath that she had never experienced. An anger so quick and consuming that she had only held back from baring her teeth at the youkai with the strength of her will alone.

She'd wanted to smack Kouga around with her power, to pin him to the dirt and snow and demand that the wolf apologize to Toshiro, and Inuyasha and Shippou, for his insulting words. In that moment she'd felt like another person entirely. In that moment she'd wanted to hurt her friend for what he'd said, she'd wanted to make him . . . submit, and had been so close to growling at the youkai that she hadn't even realized what she'd said until he was gone and she could think a little clearer. She could still feel the remnants of that fury swirling in her blood.

 _What in Kami has come over me?_

Kagome knew herself well, she knew that she had felt anger before, and protectiveness, over those she cared about but the . . . the possessive rage that she'd felt at Kouga's words was an entirely new thing to the young woman. Her miko's energy and something even deeper ingrained in her soul than that had surged and swirled at the wolf's insults, a vicious part of her that she hadn't even known existed surfacing to put him in his place, to make sure the youkai knew the consequences of slighting those that belonged to her.

And she knew without a doubt that she'd do it again if someone insulted one of her boys again.

The miko exhaled shakily, her breath a small puff as she stopped by the stream Inuyasha must have scented earlier. The little waterway was half frozen and moving slowly around bits of ice, the moon shining down in patches through the hulking trees overhead. The soft, biting breeze was like a balm to her heated face.

Kagome felt herself flush even further when she suddenly remembered what Toshiro had said to Kouga.

 _She has a mate_. The boy had said.

And there was no mistaking what the little hanyou was implying. But how could he think that she was Inuyasha's mate? What on earth had given him that impression? The older hanyou barely ever showed interest in her unless it had to do with the jewel, and their one and only kiss had never been repeated or mentioned again. Inuyasha could barely hold her gaze most days, and yet Toshiro had said with certainty that the white haired hanyou claimed her.

It was impossible.

There was a rustle in the trees behind her and the miko whirled, her hands instinctively going to the bow slung over her shoulder, that strange awareness that Kouga had awoken pricking at the sound. She slowly lowered her hand when she saw that it was Inuyasha coming from the way she had, his eyes devastatingly bright in the darkness around them, his steps careful. The inu-hanyou stopped a few feet from her, his brows high and his eyes wide, his mouth opened and closed a few times as he stared at her, as if he had no clue what to say.

He took a few more slow steps forward and Kagome clasped her hands in front of her, trying to look everywhere but where his intense gaze still tried to bore into her own. His long hair was flowing in a gentle wind, the patches of moonlight that made the stream behind the miko beautiful made the hanyou heartbreaking to behold. His silver hair glimmered like star light in the breaks in the trees, his eyes as golden and blinding as the sun.

Why would he want her as his mate?

Kagome suddenly felt terribly small and foolish, that lightning storm that had her attacking Kouga turning into an uncomfortable rumble in her belly.

"Um . . I-I'm sorry." She finally mumbled.

Inuyasha stopped his pursuit, only a foot or so away from her now. His brow furrowed as he tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"What in hell do you have to be sorry for?" He asked, just as quietly.

The miko fought the urge to wring her hands. "I shouldn't have just-just claimed you like I was some mindless animal. I-I didn't have the right to-"

"But you did."

Kagome's breath halted.

When she finally looked him in the eye she saw that they were huge, and completely serious.

"You had every right." He said on an exhale, his arms rigid at his sides as if he were restraining himself.

"I didn't though, Inuyasha." She sighed. "I know that . . . that I'm not who you want. I know-I know that you're not mine to claim. Not like the boys are mine. "

"Is that what you think?" Inuyasha asked with a low growl.

And just like that the storm raged again inside of her, that almost primal force rising in her blood at his question, at the incredulity she heard beneath the words as if he had given her a reason to believe otherwise. Her head snapped to him, her eyes turning hard and her hands clenching so tight that her nails bit into her palms.

"Of course, that's what I think." She bit out. Inuyasha blinked in surprise, tensing at the vehemence in her voice. "That's what any rational person would think given the way you've treated me."

Inuyasha pulled his lips back from his teeth, his ears laying back, youki immediately rising and replicating her irritated aura. "What do you mean 'the way I've treated you'? Last time I checked I was the one who kept your big ass head your shoulders! I'm the one who protects you, wench. And it ain't like you make the job easy."

Kagome mimicked him, baring her teeth though she didn't realize it. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Inuyasha. And you may have _helped_ protect me physically, but you've left me with nothing but wounds emotionally. Don't claim that I had the right to say what I did, not when you act like you only care about the jewel being purified most of the time, not when you only pay attention to me when it's convenient for _you_."

The hanyou reeled back as if he'd been slapped. Some part of Kagome knew what she said was cruel, knew that she should have regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. But she didn't. It was the truth, at least it was her truth. It was how she felt, how she'd _been_ feeling for years, and how she refused to feel any longer.

She'd claimed him to Kouga, yes, but she'd also claimed those boys. And that declaration settled deep in her soul, deeper even than her one-sided claim on the hanyou before her. The responsibility, and fear, and encompassing love of pronouncing Shippou and Toshiro as her own was a heavy and world changing thing. If Inuyasha didn't claim her, refused to be honest and continued his distant games she'd be heartbroken, but there was no way she would continue to spend her time pining after him. Not when Shippou and Toshiro needed her. Not when they deserved a mother, someone they knew they could depend on no matter what, someone they could turn to when they were confused, and scared, and heartbroken themselves. She couldn't be those things for them if she was too busy being infatuated with someone who didn't reciprocate her feelings.

Those boys came before even him now.

There was a moment of intense, unbroken staring. Bright golden fire met smoldering brown. The miko kept her chin high and her eyes directly on his, willing him to understand that she'd had enough, the storm inside of her refusing to let her back down, to submit. She felt Inuyasha's youki flare up and she steeled herself for the outburst that he was sure to come . . . but never did.

His youki unexpectedly deflated like a balloon, his shoulders and ears drooping as it did. He broke eye contact with her, looking down at the ground between them, his hands clenched at his sides. When he flicked his gaze back up to her own she saw pleading in them, and regret, but she refused to break this time.

"I cannot . . . will not continue to make a fool of myself for you, Inuyasha." She said into the quiet, her spine straight. "Either you figure out what it is you want from me, and soon, or you lose me. This time for good."

And she brushed past him and back the way she came, leaving him standing by the stream. That strange new energy that flowed along her aura kept her from turning back, kept her from regretting all that she'd said even as her heart broke. It pushed her back toward the faint smell of wood smoke and toward her sons, even as tears began to drip down her cheeks.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

Toshiro awoke before the sun the next day to the smell of food. Inuyasha had apparently gone to hunt with him or Shippou, and when the boys smelled the bird roasting they quietly detangled themselves from around their miko and went to sit by the campfire and the silent hanyou to eat. Inuyasha didn't bother to say a word to them except when he barked quietly about saving food for Kagome. After breakfast the boys sparred and tracked small animals by the tree line, waiting for their chosen mother to wake. When she did she gave both boys affectionate kisses on the forehead before going to eat her own breakfast, opposite from where Inuyasha still sat staring pensively at the ground.

By the time their campsite was cleaned up and their stuffed packed away in that gigantic yellow bag the young hanyou felt uneasy. Toshiro had not failed to notice that the adults avoided looking at or speaking to one another. Had not failed to notice that when they walked through the brisk morning forest Kagome purposely placed herself on Toshiro's right side, and Inuyasha on Shippou's left. Had not failed to notice that neither spoke a word unless it was in response to he or Shippou, and even then boys' attempts at starting a conversation was so miserable that the brothers eventually fell into silence themselves.

They'd been too far away the night before for the ravenette to hear anything other than their muffled voices, but Toshiro knew that whatever had transpired between then had been bad. When Kagome had come back to where they'd left the pups her cheeks were red and splotchy and there had been tear tracks down her face. Toshiro had taken the liberty to pull out her pink bed roll for her beforehand, and the moment she collapsed on it she'd burst into heart wrenching sobs. The little hanyou and kit were confused, and worried, and hurting because she was. They quickly lost their appetite, not bothering to inform her of the small deer they'd managed to take down and clean for dinner, or of the small fire pit they'd managed to set up. They'd just crawled under the blanket with her and curled tight to her sides as she cried herself unconscious. The boys fell asleep before Inuyasha came back to camp.

Toshiro couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Maybe if he hadn't tried to bite the wolf's fingers off the day before, she wouldn't have been so upset. He was her friend after all. Or maybe if he hadn't told him that Inuyasha was Kagome's mate, she wouldn't have gotten angry with Inuyasha. A small, poisonous voice in the back of Toshiro's head told him that maybe . . . maybe she didn't want to be claimed, and that maybe she regretted claiming him to the wolf in return. His healing heart threatened to crack again at the thought.

The rest of their journey to the sword master's den was a tense and uncomfortable one to say the least.

It was mid-afternoon when they came to a clearing littered with hills. The sun was bright, and after the shade of the forest the reflection of it's rays off the snow caused Toshiro to squint. Cut into the side of one of the larger hills was a large hole; a cave lined with jagged stone, and ice, and dirt. Beside the opening a three-eyed ox pawed lazily at the snow, trying to get at the bright green grass hidden beneath. Toshiro thought the cave looked like the mouth of a beast, and the smell of fire, and metal, and sweat that emanated from it made the pup's stomach turn.

He was shocked when he realized that he was nervous. He'd spent the whole morning mulling over his part in Kagome and Inuyasha's argument and hadn't taken a moment to realize how monumental this visit could be to him. This youkai, Totosai, had to be centuries old and had forged some of the best blades known to the youkai world, some of the strongest. He'd heard whispers of the mighty Tetsusaiga, and the healing Tenseiga, even from the hovel in which he grew up. How strong, how wise, how intimidating this creature must be to have created such awesome weapons. What if the Sword Master didn't think him worthy enough to wield his work? What if he regretted agreeing to forge it? Or worse yet, what if Toshiro gave the sword a bad name? The first ever to wield a blade made by the Smith only to disgrace it and it's creator.

"You look like you're going to be sick." Shippou commented offhandedly, watching the way Toshiro's eyes darted around the cave as they entered it. "You should see his actual den, the one in the South. It's much cooler. It's on a volcano and is made from a youkai's skull."

Toshiro's turning stomach began doing somersaults. Great. Just great. This legendary youkai was going to chew him up and spit him out once he saw just who he'd be making a weapon for.

Shippou seemed at ease though, he didn't balk at the rows upon rows of daggers, swords, maces, spikes, and axes that lined either side of the cave as they walked. Kagome and Inuyasha led the way into the cave, the pups close behind. Even though the two were still ignoring each other from their spat the night before, the miko seemed perfectly comfortable as they ventured inward, where more and more weapons were thrown about in messy piles and onto shelves, where it got hotter the deeper they went. The sound of metal hitting metal became louder and louder until the group came to a stop a few feet from a great fire, a long swinging hammer, and a short, bug-eyed, hunched over creature.

The youkai sat with his side to them, blowing flames from his mouth onto a hunk of blazing metal. He was too busy banging it repeatedly into shape with his hammer to notice their arrival.

"Old man!" Inuyasha tried to call above the clank of metal and the whoosh of flames, but the youkai didn't seem to hear him. "Oi! Pay attention, you old fart!"

Still the youkai blew his flames, his enormous eyes focused entirely on the work at hand. He banged and banged his hammer onto the red hot steel, the blade of a long sword beginning to form, his forehead scrunched and sweat beading where his eyebrows should have been. Toshiro took a step around Kagome, craning his neck to look over the creature's shoulder, thinking that maybe the decrepit thing's master would be deeper within the cave, but he saw only packed dirt. This made no sense. Where was the gigantic legend of his imagination? Where was-?

"Master Totosai!" Kagome cupped her hands around her mouth.

The creature sucked the flames back into his mouth at the sound of her high voice, finally turning to blink at them when he swallowed the fire down with an audible gulp.

Toshiro's head tilted in obvious confusion.

"Huh? What? When did you guys get here?" The old youkai, Totosai apparently, asked before groaned as he rose from where he'd been criss-crossed on the ground. He placed his hammer heavy side down to lean on for support. His green striped hakama and haori were covered in soot. His eyes were three times the size of what was considered normal and had a blank, glassy look to them. He was not what Toshiro had been expecting at all.

"We've been here for like five minutes, ya old coot. Didn't you hear me callin' you?" Inuyasha snorted, crossing his arms.

Totosai scratched at the bald, flaking spot on the top of his head. "No, can't say that I did."

"What're you working on Master Totosai?" Shippou padded closer to the still blazing blade the Smith had lain on a slab of stone. He reached a hand out as if to touch it but quickly pulled it back at the heat nearly seared his fingers.

"That? Just something to pass the time . . ."

"Nii-san, come see!" Shippou called over a shoulder. "I can see little designs etched into it!"

The Sword Master turned his big eyes on Toshiro when the hanyou took a curious step forward at his brother's call. The hanyou pup immediately froze.

"You have a brother, Shippou?"

"We took Toshiro in a few weeks ago, Master Totosai. This is the hanyou we need the sealing sword for." Kagome reminded sweetly.

The youkai's eyes roved up and down the pup's dirty white haori and purple t-shirt, making Toshiro want to squirm under his gaze. He hobbled closer, using his hammer as a sort of cane. "The hanyou with the fire affinity . . ." He hummed to himself, making a slow circle around the pup, poking and prodding with his bony fingers at Toshiro's back and arms. "Not very much to look at, are ya?"

The pup tensed further, his flicking puppy ears telling of his nervousness.

Totosai finished his inspection and stood directly in front of Toshiro, still staring over him with that dazed look. When he tried to reach out to pat Toshiro's short hair the pup pulled his head out of reach instinctively, uncomfortable with a stranger's touch no matter who it was. The little hanyou was secretly relieved he'd managed not to growl at the old man. The wrinkles on his forehead rose, but Totosai didn't comment on the reaction as he pulled his gnarled fingers back to his person. He flicked his bulbous eyes up to meet Toshiro's deep honey ones and then, for a split second, the pup could have sworn that the vacant look melted away from the old man's eyes. Could have sworn that a look of intense recognition, disbelieving shock, and deep intelligence took its place.

But when Toshiro blinked the youkai was back to fumbling and looking lost.

"I need a bath." Totosai whispered conspiratorially to Toshiro, as if his pungent stench was a great secret.

The little hanyou took a casual step back and the senile old man cackled.

"Oi." Inuyasha marched forward and clunked the youkai on the head. "Focus, you basket case. When are you gonna start the sword?"

"Huh? What sword?"

"My sealing sword." Toshiro spoke up for the first time, his voice betraying his confusion with the youkai before him. "You said you'd make me a sealing sword."

"Oh yes, that sword." Totosai said before turning to Inuyasha with a deadpan look. "I haven't started it yet."

"We _know_ that! That's why we're here! You told Myouga you needed-"

"Yes yes, I need two fangs."

" _Two?"_ Inuyasha and Kagome repeated in tandem.

Totosai lowered himself back onto the ground, glancing again briefly at Toshiro as he fumbled around in a pile of daggers. He pulled out a small, shiny looking pair of metal tweezers and clanked them together with clear intention.

"Yes. I used your father's fang to make Tetsusaiga, pulled it straight from his mouth while he was in his true form. Almost threw my darn back out doing it too. You can't turn into a gigantic dog like your dad or Sesshomaru, so I'll have to melt down your fangs and mix them with reinforced steel to make the blades."

"Blade." Toshiro corrected without thinking.

Totosai turned his bug eyes on him again. "Huh?"

"You said blades as in two." He replied, blushing lightly at his loose tongue.

" Huh, did I?"

Inuyasha sighed loudly through his nose before he plopped down across from the youkai. "Get it the fuck over with."

And get it over with Totosai did. The old youkai pulled Inuyasha's mouth open without preamble, eyeing his canines considerably before reaching in with his tweezers and yanking out his top two with deft, practiced moves. Inuyasha grunted with the removal of each and Toshiro couldn't help but wince. He'd had his fangs pulled before, but it had been under much less willing conditions.

The little hanyou pulled himself from his memories as Kagome spoke up. "How long will it take to make the sword Master Totosai?"

The youkai didn't look at her as he responded, too busy looking over the bloody fangs in the palm of his hand with an intensity Toshiro didn't understand. "Hmmm . . . two weeks?"

"Why so fuckin' long?" Inuyasha grumbled, a hand to his sore mouth. Shippou patted Inuyasha's arm comfortingly.

"Need to . . . need to listen for their voices before they can be made . Need to-" He broke off suddenly, turning his attention to the little hanyou. "Can I see your flames?"

Toshiro blinked, taken aback. "W-why?"

"It'll help the forging process, very important." Totosai said distractedly.

The young hanyou's ears flicked in uncertainty before he cast Inuyasha a questioning look. His mentor nodded, his hand still rubbing his smarting jaw, and Toshiro swallowed before turning back to the old man. He took a deep, calming breath like Kaede taught him before reaching carefully inside himself for that zinging in his veins. His youki responded almost immediately, eager to try to break free of his skin, but he didn't let it. His brow scrunched with the effort of containing his youki and leading it to his right hand, then only allowing a small amount of wild fire to pass through his skin. When he blew out a breath and opened his eyes a small red and orange flame flickered in his palm.

He looked first to Inuyasha and his miko, preening a little at their proud smirks. Then he turned back to the odd youkai and found the Sword Smith leaning toward him, staring at Toshiro's fire as if it would tell him the world's secrets.

Totosai stared intensely at the flame for a long time, so long in fact that Shippou began to shuffle impatiently on his paws, and Toshiro's youki began to sputter with his growing confusion and loss of concentration. Only when Inuyasha loudly cleared his throat did the old Master blink and sit back.

His eyes had widened even further if that was possible, and he glanced quickly back at the tiny flame once more before nodding his head to himself and looking up at Inuyasha.

His face twisted again in hazy confusion.

"When did you get here, Inuyasha? You better not have damaged Tetsusaiga again!"

Toshiro and his pack blinked in collective surprise before several things happened at once; Toshiro's fire flicked out, his youki again burying itself deep in his body, Inuyasha let out an enraged, "Why you!" and lunged for Totosai a moment before Kagome yelled out "Osuwari!" and Inuyasha was slammed to the cave floor, and Shippou let out a startled, "Ow!" and smacked a hand to his neck, where he'd felt a sharp sting.

"Two weeks! It's gonna take me two weeks!" Totosai called over the ensuing chaos, waving his hammer around haphazardly. "Now get out so I can work! And don't come back distractin' me before then!"

Inuyasha pulled himself from the dirt with a growl, baring his teeth though the threat was lost with two of his canines canines gone. It looked like the older hanyou seriously contemplated thumping the old man again, but instead he let out an irritated "Keh.", turned on his heel, and stomped out of the cave. Kagome apologized for Inuyasha's behavior before saying goodbye and following him out, a disgruntled Shippou and a puzzled Toshiro trailing behind her. Shippou looked down at the hand he'd clamped to his neck, frowning at the bit of blood he found there. Toshiro looked over his shoulder at the Totosai, his brow furrowed and his stomach in knots for reasons he couldn't quite explain.

The pack made their way out of the cave and back toward their home, the adults bickering and the young boys soon forgetting about the old youkai who would forge Toshiro's blade.

But Totosai stayed unmoving on his cave floor, staring after them long after they'd gone. He heard rather than saw his friend spit the red fluid he'd collected into a small bowl that had been hidden behind the slab of stone. Then Myouga carefully placed the bowl beside another also filled with blood, and beside that sat a rather large, duo-colored clump of hair.

When he was finished he perched himself on the Sword Smith's shoulder.

"Well?" The flea asked his oldest friend.

Totosai stroked his beard in thought, all of the demented confusion gone from his eyes.

It was a while before he answered.

"You were right." He said finally, lowly, still looking in the direction Inuyasha and his family had gone.

Myouga nodded gravely. "What will we do?"

"What we've always done, I suppose; help him." Totosai sighed deeply, looking back at the bowls of blood and then again out into the forest. "See what you can dig up on the boy, but be careful. No one, not even Sesshomaru, can know who he is. It could cost him his life."

The flea nodded his head again in agreement before he bounced off to see what he could learn about the little hanyou who had no idea just how special he was.


	18. Sesshomaru has a Heart

**I literally thrive off of the "Who is Toshiro?" guessing game in my reviews, and I'll tell you guys this; everyone so far has been wrong. Toshiro is in no way, shape, or form Inuyasha's cousin or brother. Seeing you guys try to puzzle it out though feeds my beast. *insert evil laugh* Please keep the reviews coming! I love all of your opinions, comments, concerns, dislikes. Give it all to me.**

Lord Sesshomaru had been seeing human villagers, and representatives from youkai packs in his territory, and emissaries from other territories all day; listening to stories of tragedy and revenge, providing food for humans who were struggling to make it through the cold months, putting to rest petty squabbles, accepting or denying this proposal or that. He was a bit bored to be honest.

He found his mind wandering to the strange little hanyou his brother now harbored and remembered how he'd met him.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

Sesshomaru didn't want to be there. It was too hot in the South, the heat amplified by the stone fortress he resided in, and the youkai there were too touchy for his liking. Not to mention that he couldn't stand the current Lady of the Southern inu youkai. She was an annoying, demented female. She'd invited the Lord of the West there in an attempt to court him, to try to convince him yet again to take her as his mate. His consistent refusals of the gifts she sent to his own palace weren't answer enough it seemed. But he'd accepted the invitation anyway, knowing her intentions, if only for the fact that he needed the inu youkai from the South as allies.

They were a small faction, not many even knew of their existence. The land they occupied by the Southern sea was covered in dozens of wards that were difficult for even Sesshomaru to break through, no one had taken the castle in centuries. The inu youkai in the South were immensely powerful. Among them were great healers, fierce warriors, skilled smiths and builders, and magic wielders. And some of the most beautiful inu youkai that Sesshomaru had ever seen. The palace was small but finely crafted, draped in rich gold and red finery everywhere you looked; tapestries and carpets and cushions and dangling jewelry and clothes. Inu youkai milled about the great hall in which Sesshomaru sat, their eyes and hair any color one could think of, their skin all the same warm shades of toffee.

But none were more beautiful, more powerful, than the previous Lady of the South in Sesshomaru's opinion; Misa. She had been the best healer the south had ever seen, the kindest, the most patient, and the most vicious when provoked. She had not been as flashy as the current Lady; her tastes had been simple and elegant in muted silvers and deep blues, she never wore a crown on her scarlet head. The most extravagant piece of jewelry the late Lady wore had been a small diamond circlet she let dangle from her ear. She had been the embodiment of everything the Southern inu youkai were known for; strength, wisdom, intelligence, and beauty.

Where as other territories participated in wars regularly for power or territories, her people never suffered or wanted for anything under her reign. They let those who needed help into their sacred land, youkai and human and hanyou alike, and those who posed a threat were dealt with swiftly and effectively. Misa was their Lady, but she was one of the finest sword masters the Lord of the West had ever had the pleasure of sparring with, he had always pitied her enemies. She had refused Sesshomaru's mating offer, choosing instead to take a pathetic human male when the offspring of her and the Lord could have conquered all who opposed them. But the dai youkai had respect for her, and her decision, and knew better than to try to eliminate his rival for her affection. She would have had his head mounted on a spike.

Soon after her demise Katsumi had been named the new Lady, a fact that Sesshomaru knew she had no qualms about. With her sister gone Sesshomaru heard that Katsumi was quick to amass a following, to isolate the Southern inu youkai from the humans. She ran them from the sparkling village that surrounded the castle, sending her followers to massacre all who refused to leave and their sympathizers, forbidding the union of youkai and mortals, and publicly torturing those who would disobey her. Hanyous and humans could not step foot in her territory without meeting their deaths.

"Sesshomaru, dear you must be hungry." She turned to him, her green eyes bright and a little manic where as her sister's had always been deep and warm like moss. "Let me get you something to eat."

Sesshomaru didn't bother turning from the revelry as he said. "No thank you."

The female pouted, her lips painted a bloody rouge to match the rubies decorating her done up raven hair. Sesshomaru thought she looked ridiculous.

"At least let me get you a drink. You've been here for hours and yet you've taken no refreshments. I know the journey from the West is a long one."

"Hn." The dai-youkai replied noncommittally, watching youkai twirl together on the dance floor from his raised seat on the dais.

Katsume snapped her fingers quickly, her eyes sparking and her voice turning sweet like poison. "Maggot, get us some drinks. And you know what'll happen if you spill a drop."

A small, crumbled thing rose from a kneeling position beside Katsumi's throne, a thing Sesshomaru honestly hadn't noticed, as he'd let his mind slip into a wandering fog the moment he was in Katsumi's presence and her incessant chatter had begun.

A small boy, Sesshomaru noted with distaste. A hanyou child by the looks of his ebony ears and lack of markings. He wore a pair of tattered, red and brown stained shorts and an old undershirt in even worse condition. A black film of dirt lay on his skin like tar, under that were countless black and blue bruises that decorated his body like scales. And cuts, so many unhealed, angry red cuts along every inch of his body that Sesshomaru could see. His feet were bare and filthy, his toe and fingernails caked with dirt and cracked. His right ear was mutilated and bleeding but the boy didn't seem to notice, or care, as he stopped in front of Katsumi's chair expectantly, his head down and his eyes blank.

"I'll take red wine. And you, my lord?" She turned to Sesshomaru, batting her false eyelashes at him.

The male took a moment to answer as he looked over the inu hanyou again. This boy was Katsumi's kin, Sesshomaru was sure, and the previous Lady's welp no less. He could smell the familiarity of Misa's scent under the dirt and feces and blood. Sesshomaru had heard of Katsumi's sister having a half breed pup with her human, but had thought that it had died when the female had; during childbirth. Or so was the story. And yet here he was, just beginning his adolescence by the looks of him, battered, broken, and serving his aunt like a common slave when he rightfully should be the Lord of these lands.

Did the hanyou even have a clue?

He tried to will the boy to look at him -look at him dammit- but he would not. His gaze stayed on Katsumi's high heeled shoes with a look of detached misery, numbly waiting for Sesshomaru's order. The youkai was sure to keep his disgust off of his face as he said, "Water."

And the boy slunk off without a sound, bobbing and weaving through the party goers with an ease that told the Lord that he had done so plenty of times. Did the people know who he was? Were they okay with the rightful heir to their throne being treated in such a way, or did they not care because of his half blooded nature? Sesshomaru watched as several patrons shot the little hanyou pitying, helpless looks. And watched as another, a brown haired male, purposely stuck out a foot for the boy to trip over. The hanyou went careening into a server in a great crash and some of the youkai laughed. Sesshomaru was surprised by how hard it was for him to stay seated, how hard it was not to bolt across the room and grab the sniggering cretin by his neck and squeeze. The black haired boy rose to his feet and continued his journey to the back of the room, and to the drinks, without any expression.

Katsumi tsked beside him. "Stupid boy. Always so clumsy."

Sesshomaru cut his eyes to her, resisting the urge to curl his lip.

He had no particular love for humans, and even less for hanyous, but even he wouldn't treat his own blood in this manner, not a pup. Sesshomaru felt a sharp blast of fury shoot through him at the thought of his brother being treated in such a way, remembered what he'd done to the humans who had tormented Inuyasha before he'd gone out on his own. He imagined someone treating Rin, his defenseless, nieve human pup, this way and his eyes flashed red. Katsumi was too busy smirking at the back of the hanyou's filthy head to notice.

"The boy is your family?" He asked the female though he knew the answer, forcing his voice to be devoid of emotion.

"Technically, I suppose. My nephew." Katsumi said dismissively, pert nose scrunched in disgust. "Leave it to my idiotic little sister to bare a child with a useless human."

"Hn." Sesshomaru watched the little boy make his way carefully back to the dais, a cup in each hand.

His eyes were focused wholly on the goblets he carried, as if his life depended on getting back to the dais in one piece. Sesshomaru wondered if Katsumi would hit him if he spilled the drinks. He wondered if he'd let her.

"At least the wretch is of _some_ use." She giggled wickedly, smiling down at her long black nails when they glowed a slimy purple. "Toshiro is the perfect little stress ball."

Poison. Sesshomaru had almost forgot that she was a poison user as well. She no doubt tortured him at her leisure. Those who knew of Southern inu youkai knew of Katsumi. She was born to a matriarchal pack, the oldest of two high born sisters but passed over as heir when she was little more than a pup because she was deemed unfit to rule. Too callous, too vain.

Leave it to her to keep her dead sister's child as some sort of sick trophy, as a toy.

The pup was taking his final careful steps toward where they sat when an unsuspecting female bumped into him as she threw her head back and laughed, causing Sesshomaru's glass of water to spill onto the hanyou's dirty shirt. Toshiro's eyes widened minutely, taking no heed when the blonde inu youkai apologized, and finally came to a stop in front of the Lord and Lady.

Sesshomaru saw Katsumi's reptilian smile from his peripheral, saw as she crooked a clawed finger at the pup. Toshiro's chest began to move up and down rapidly, his ears twitching, but he moved forward.

Katsumi's voice was soft like velvet. "Give our guest his drink."

The boy padded immediately to Sesshomaru and handed him the goblet, his hand shaking slightly. He still refused to look up from the ground.

"Now me, pet."

And back he went, leaving bits of dirt and grime on the polished floor behind him. When Toshiro got within reach Katsumi's arm shot out like a whip to cup the pup's face. Sesshomaru tensed and noticed that a few of the youkai in the crowd did as well. She dragged him closer, her smile never faltering and her claws digging into the pup's skin deep enough to draw blood. The Lord of the West's own began to boil.

"My cup?" She whispered to him, cooed.

Toshiro's hand shook harder as he raised the golden chalice and she took it gently. Several more eyes turned to them, murmuring. Several smirks. Sesshomaru marked the faces of the latter. Katsumi puckered her painted lips and pressed a light kiss to the boy's unwashed button nose, the nails embedded in his skin starting to glow that sickly violet. When the pup whimpered Sesshomaru's control snapped.

"Enough."

He said it calmly, quietly, but not weakly. His voice was heard across the great hall, most of the crowd turning at the sound of it, the musicians in the corner pausing their song.

Katsumi raised her brows at him. She let out an incredulous chuckle, her grip on the hanyou pup tightening a fraction.

"Apologies, My Lord. I'm afraid I misunderstand." Her eyes were like frozen grass.

Sesshomaru's jaw ticked, his patience gone and his anger like a coat on his tongue. He weighed his options. It would do neither he or the welp any good to cause a scene here. Sesshomaru was in no mood to go to war with the Southern pack alone, and the boy would sooner die in the process. But he would do something. If for no other reason than that he respected the pup's late mother, that he owed Misa that much. This Sesshomaru _would_ get him out, but he'd bide his time for now. So he inhaled deeply, willing his youki to calm, silently thankful that he'd hidden his youki before entering their gates. He made his expression one of superior boredom and impatience.

"Leave the thing alone, Katsumi. A hanyou is hardly worth your attention when you are in the presence of This Sesshomaru." He smirked slightly, knowing the thought of his interest would ensnare her. "I'm sure I can be much more entertaining."

It had the desired effect.

She dropped the face of the boy, laughing heartily and leaning back in her overly jeweled throne. Her subjects joined in, chuckling uncomfortably themselves as the music again started to play. She said something coy that Sesshomaru didn't hear, but he moved his mouth into an according smile. No one paid attention to how the pup crashed to his bruised knees before their Lady upon her release, no one dared to look his way.

But Sesshomaru did, often, during his week long stay in the southern palace.

Every afternoon Katsumi held court for one ridiculous reason or another, every night she held a feast, and every day Sesshomaru wandered the expanse of the castle. He familiarized himself with every exit, and room, and tunnel. He endured the Lady of the South's flirtations and drool stories, always keeping an eye on the hanyou pup she kept kneeling beside her chair, his head down and his eyes broken. He took into account of the new gashes, and bruises, and scars that Toshiro donned each day. How his cut right ear almost never stopped bleeding. He took note of those who were all too happy to torment the pup when he was sent on this errand or that, those who grinned and snickered when Katsumi humiliated him.

When the week was up, and the sun was low in the sky, Sesshomaru made his leave.

And he made sure that Toshiro made his as well.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

"Milord, the next visitor is here." Jaken screeched from the door.

Sesshomaru sighed, rubbing his temples as he shook off the memory.

"Show them in."

Loud boots could be heard from the corridor, and before long strode in a male that Sesshomaru immediately recognized, one that meant trouble. An inu youkai male with long, mouse brown hair pulled back from his angular face, and bright golden eyes. Across his cheeks cut swirling, dark green youkai markings. Over his leaf colored haori and hakama he wore expensive golden armor.

The inu youkai from Katsumi's party, and apparently one of her warriors.

He gave the dai youkai a shallow bow. "Many greetings, My Lord."

Sesshomaru raised a single brow. "You're a long way from the Southern territory . . .?"

"Orochi, My Lord" The male smiled with forced politeness. His name fit him. "It was unfortunate that we hadn't the chance to become more acquainted during your visit to our lovely lands."

"Hn."

The youkai's grin turned feral. "Though upon your leave, My Lady seems to believe that you've taken something that belongs to her. She desperately wants it back."

"Has she sent you to challenge me, Orochi?" He saw no point in denying that he'd freed the boy. He let his youki rise unbidden, let his threat hang heavily in the air. "You wouldn't live to tell her that This Sesshomaru has not what she seeks."

He was slightly impressed when the snake didn't balk.

"Of course not, Lord Sesshomaru." He shook his head with feigned disbelief. "She simply wishes for her nephew's safe passage home."

The youkai of the West scoffed.

"Would it be safe to assume that you'll not tell me where he is, if it isn't here?" Orochi held out his palms pleadingly.

"You assume correctly." He curled his lip. "I have no idea where the pup is."

"As you say, My Lord." Orochi chuckled, his eyes holding a predatory glint. "It is of no consequence, I assure you. Lady Katsumi will have her possession returned to her soon."

And then the youkai bowed again, low this time, a mockery that made Sesshomaru bare his teeth. The other male only smiled again before stalking out of the room, undoubtedly to track down the young hanyou Sesshomaru had saved.

He'd assumed that she'd come looking for her trophy, but not so soon. Sesshomaru had helped the welp find his freedom, and now it was Inuyasha's job to make sure that he kept it. The Lord of the West hoped that his baka of a brother was preparing Toshiro for what was to come.

 **A short chapter, yes, but an important one. Hope you guys liked!**


	19. Partners

**Nineteen**

It was just before dawn, the sun reluctant to rise and Inuyasha's youkai yet to return to him. He'd spent his human night indoors. Shippou had stayed at Miroku and Sango, helping the pregnant slayer with trivial things around her house that she was perfectly capable enough to do on her own. Kagome had stayed with Kaede, claiming to have had training to make up thanks to their journey. She always seemed to have some excuse to avoid him these days. Inuyasha pretended it didn't bother him.

Toshiro had not left his side.

Inuyasha knew that seeing him human would stun the pup, but he hadn't expected Toshiro to cling to him so much. The little hanyou had spent the whole night fussing over him like a mother hen, pestering Inuyasha to eat and drink enough, sticking close to his side, watching him like a hawk. His wide, burnt gold eyes flicked from the grumbling temporary human and the door almost constantly, as if he'd expected someone to burst in and attack them.

Inuyasha had found his worrying a little endearing.

He glared at the boy between the X of their swords now, Toshiro's ordinary iron blade blocking the blow Inuyasha dealt to him with his untransformed Tetsusaiga. The pup loosed a breath, glaring hard eyes up at Inuyasha as he pushed his weight against the two blades. Inuyasha smirked and pushed back, the boy losing a step even with Inuyasha in his human form, even with his senses dulled and his hanyou strength still gone.

Toshiro broke their blades apart and swung. Inuyasha side stepped him, using the flat of his battered sword to sweep the little hanyou's feet from under him.

"Cheap shot." Toshiro growled before flipping onto his feet, shaking to loosen his shoulders and upset the snow on them.

Inuyasha flipped his blade in his hand once, loosening his wrist and feeling the sun finally begin to awaken at his back.

"Bested by a mere human?" Inuyasha grinned when the hanyou growled low in his throat. "You didn't honestly think you could beat me, did you pup?"

"I thought being human would humble you a little." Toshiro grumbled back.

Inuyasha barked a laugh. "Not a chance."

Since Toshiro was having his own blade forged, Inuyasha figured it was time to teach the pest how to use more than wooden sticks. And in the days that they'd been home Inuyasha had run him ragged.

He'd been teaching the pup how to hold his body, how to feint, lunge, parry, deflect, to become used to thinking of his sword as an extension of himself instead of merely as a weapon. Toshiro had attempted to focus his youki into his blade on their second day of training and the fire in his blood had melted the iron within seconds, the material burned straight through the snow to cool and harden again on the damp grass. Inuyasaha had had to give Toshiro another sword to wield from their stash in the hut until his own was ready, and had growled at him for a better part of 30 minutes. Toshiro was told not to attempt that trick again with anything other than his sealing sword.

The pest glared at him the whole time they trained, but he never complained.

The boy lunged and Inuyasha met him head on, his steps a bit faster as the sky turned from a deep blue to a yawning purple. Their blades clashed, the clank of metal repeatedly hitting metal ringing in Inuyasha's human ears. They circled and parried and feinted around the clearing behind their hut, the sounds of morning birds their only company. At last the sun broke through the clouds, and Inuyasha knew his youki had returned without the familiar whoosh of his energy awakening in his veins. Toshiro's brow furrowed as Inuyasha's dog ears reappeared on his head, as his eyes turned from a rich brown to a gleaming gold, as Inuyasha's strikes became stronger, faster, more graceful.

The pup cursed as Tetsusaiga transformed in Inuyasha's grip, as the older hanyou swung the blade and Toshiro rotated his body just enough so that only a few strands of his black hair were cut. He raised his blade to block the side swipe, yielding step after step as he faced Tetsusaiga's full strength.

Inuyasha whirled his fang in an arch over Toshiro's head, bringing the blade to the back of Toshiro's exposed neck and stopping when he was an inch from the pup's skin.

He grinned maniacally, no longer winded and back in all his hanyou glory, his sweat cooling on his body.

"Good. Just not good enough to beat me."

Toshiro's lip curled in annoyance and amusement. He batted the huge sword away from his nape with a scoff.

"Just you wait until I get my blade." Toshiro said, stretching his sore arms over his head. "I'll show you up then."

"You're about 100 years from showing me up, pest." Inuyasha chuckled, twirling Tetsusaiga once before sheathing it at his waist.

Toshiro snorted, sliding the sword into the holster strapped onto his back. "I bet Kagome could take you."

Inuyasha's heart gave an involuntary pang at her name.

It had been five days since they made it back to the village. Five long, miserable days and still Kagome refused to say more than a sentence to Inuyasha at a time. Not including the two days that it'd taken them to get home, two days in which she'd barely spoken a word in his direction, two days in which she only smiled when the pups were looking, she only looked him in the eye when she had to. So seven, seven days, and Inuyasha was sure that if he had to endure one more of Kagome being upset with him that he'd lose his mind.

"The boys are ready for their writing lesson."

"We're running low on firewood."

"I'm going to Sango's for the day."

Every time she averted her eyes, every time she shrunk away from him, every time she forced herself to smile in front of the pups, he felt like his heart was chipping away like old paint. And it wasn't like he could fall back on his usual anger and childishness in response to her acting the way that she was; she was right. He'd been tiptoeing around his feelings for years, trying to keep the distance between he and the miko as far as possible until the Shikon no Tama was gone. Inuyasha always knew that one day holding back would come back to bite him in the ass, but after so many years of convincing himself that he was doing it for their own good it was hard to break the habit.

But no one had perfect self control, least of all him.

And he knew that something had changed in his miko that day.

When they were confronting Kouga he'd sensed when something in her aura had shifted. He'd felt something primal in her when she'd defended Toshiro, something . . . almost animalistic. Female youkai were known to become vicious, dangerous creatures when their pups are potentially in danger, known to put down any and every possible threat without a second thought. But Inuyasha never thought in a million years that he'd sense that maternal fury in Kagome. Never in a million years thought that he'd feel that fury aimed at him. He knew what she'd said under her words that night. That he was no longer the reason she kept coming back to the Feudal Era, her world would no longer revolve around him. The pups were now her first, and most intense, concern. He was proud of her for it, but it broke his heart all the same.

He flicked his ears, staring blankly at the sunrise until a voice drug him back to earth.

"Is it my fault?"

Inuyasha whirled on the hanyou pup beside him. Toshiro was staring at the rising sun as well, his fuzzy ears drooping sadly, the pink insides orange in the morning light. Inuyasha furrowed his brow.

"What're you talking about?"

Toshiro didn't look at him, throat bobbing as he swallowed. "Kagome is upset with you. Is it because of what I said to the wolf?"

"No. It wasn't your fault, pest. It was . . . it was mine." Inuyasha adjusted the sword at his hip necessarily. "She was-is angry with me, and me alone."

The pup flicked his large eyes to him, the dark gold in them swirling like the fire in his veins. "Because you've refused to claim her."

Inuyasha shouldn't have been surprised at just how much the pup saw. Toshiro may have opened up a bit with the pack, but his quiet, watchful eyes still saw everything, saw more than any pup had a right to.

And so he replied honestly. "Yes."

Toshiro still watched him, his mouth a thin line as he wrapped his arms around his middle. "Why? She's a good person. And she claimed you. And Shippou. And-and me. As her own."

Inuyasha's heart ached at the disbelief and wonder in the boy's voice.

"Don't you want to claim her too?"

"Of course I do." Inuyasha immediately snapped, reining in his temper when Toshiro flinched. He sighed. "But if I do claim her, if I submit to my youkai and take her as my mate, and she's taken away from me . . . I don't know if there'll be any coming back from that. I wouldn't be any good to anyone. Not you, or Shippou, or myself."

The little hanyou nodded, the village starting to awaken in the distance. Inuyasha could hear the village men sharpening their swords and sickles, readying to go on their morning hunt. Could hear the women in their gardens, picking morsels for breakfast. A gust of chilled wind made its way through the trees and Toshiro shifted closer to Inuyasha's side, his ears flicking toward the village, toward Kaede's where his chosen mother would no doubt be waking soon.

"I claimed you . . ." The pup said lowly, just loud enough to hear over the din of song birds. "To the wolf. And you didn't reject it."

It wasn't a question, but Inuyasha knew what Toshiro was asking. Kagome had clearly stated her claim as the mother of both the kitsune and the inu hanyou pup, but Inuyasha had never stated his own. But he'd known in his bones that the boys were his for some time now, just as he'd known Kagome was his. So Inuyasha looked to him, a small smirk forming on his face.

"Why would I, pest? You're mine, aren'tcha?"

Toshiro dimpled when Inuyasha placed a heavy hand on his head, between his flicking puppy ears. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Can't say that I'd be a good father though if we're being honest." Inuyasha snorted. "You'd be better off choosing someone else."

"I chose you. And you chose me." There was no more of the unsure, hesitant pup in Toshiro's voice right then. "And you chose her."

Inuyasha looked at him.

"You should talk to her." Toshiro shrugged like he didn't care either way. But Inuyasha had noticed how anxious the pup got when Kagome was upset. "Fix it."

"Keh, I guess." Inuyasha stretched before making his way around the hut and into the village, the pup at his side. "She'll probably sit me to hell."

"Probably . . ." Toshiro smirked as he shoved a hand up his blue t-shirt, scratching at a faint scar.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

There was a crowd around Sango and Miroku's hut, where the hanyous had tracked Kagome's scent to. Villagers were peering into the front door and windows excitedly. Had Sango announced her pregnancy? Toshiro thought. They weren't away on their latest journey that long, surely human pups took longer than a few weeks before they were ready to be born?

He looked up to Inuyasha with a question in his eyes, but saw that his mentor also held a look of confusion on his face. He marched up to the hut, his loud voice cutting through the squealing crowd like a knife.

"Move it! Oi! Back up, would ya? What's all the commotion abou-" he broke off with wide eyes, staring into the warm wooden hut with a disbelieving expression.

At Inuyasha's arrival the crowd began to disperse, all with flushed cheeks and wide smiles on their faces. Toshiro heard two women chattering about how they would come back and ask Sango if they could keep one. Keep one!? Why would Sango give away one of her pups?! The little hanyou's hackles rose in tredipitation.

Toshiro felt himself become nervous, noticing his mentor still stuck in the doorway. Not much could stun Inuyasha into silence. Toshiro pushed through the grinning humans who paid him no mind, coming to peer around inuyasha's leg with an inquisitive flick of his ears.

Kittens?

There were. . . Kittens. Miroku and Sango sat in the middle of the room, an incredibly tiny kitten in each of their arms being excessively cooed over. Sango's face was flushed in pure happiness, Miroku had comical hearts in his eyes. Kagome and Shippou laid across from them on their stomachs, giggling like small girls at the kitten that continuously tried to grab at the pieces of string they dangled.

Taking a step and a sniff into the room the young hanyou noted that they weren't regular cats at all, but feline youkai; all with two tails, all looking almost exactly like Kirara, who slept soundly by the fire.

"What in the hell?" Inuyasha had found his voice.

Miroku looked up, the deliriously happy look still on his face. "Aren't they precious?"

"Keh." Inuyasha huffed, going to sit as close as he dared to Kagome. "When did Kirara have pups?"

"We don't know exactly." Sango was rubbing her cheek against the little youkai in her arms, it purred lovingly at her in return. "They have to be a few weeks old at the very least. She just showed up with them today."

"I thought the cat was getting kinda chunky." The larger hanyou snorted, reaching a claw out for a kitten to sniff despite his tone.

Kirara raised her head off her paws and gave him a glare.

Toshiro scoffed and sat against the wall as he usually did, to watch his pack coo over the small creatures. This was what all the fuss was about? They were cats, not magic. And here he thought he was getting a new pack member. Many feline youkai didn't often stay in packs like canine ones did. When the little cats got old enough they were sure to go off on their own, find their own families and mates, maybe even their own humans like Kirara had. The women's conversation from before suddenly made since to the hanyou.

He was surprised when he was brought from his thoughts by a small hiss from the corner nearest him. When he looked he saw a small tuft of black fur, angry eyes peering up at him from it.

"I wouldn't get too close to that one, nii san." Shippou said warningly. "He doesn't seem to like any of us very much."

Toshiro cocked his head to the side, regarding the small youkai as it stared back. It then unfolded itself from it's defensive ball, walking careful steps and stopping directly in front of Toshiro, it's two tails twitching in agitation. It didn't look like the rest of the cats; it's fur was the inverted colors of its mother, it's base black with cream colored markings only on its front feet, and diamond shape in the middle of its forehead. The only thing identical to its mother were it's piercing red eyes.

The kitten in Miroku's arms mewed happily, causing the black little youkai to turn to glare at it's sibling in betrayal, its irritated gaze spoke volumes to the hanyou though it didn't speak at all.

 _Pathetic._ It's eyes seemed to say as it watched it's sibling be snuggled like a toy.

It turned back on Toshiro then, a challenge glinting in its bright eyes, it's two little ears flicking.

 _I'll bite you if you even try it._ It bared its teeth at Toshiro, a sharp hiss coming from between its tiny fangs.

Toshiro made a show of sniffing at the cat. He smirked, immediately intrigued by the small, pissed off creature. It was male, like him, and a little antisocial, like him. And it wanted respect, like him. Toshiro bared his fangs back at the cat youkai in a feral sort of grin, allowed his youki to rise and let little flames flicker in his palms, showing that he had no intentions of treating him like a stuffed animal, showing him that he'd fight even a kitten if need be.

The little creature's eyes widened a moment, his hackles lowering as he sat on his haunches, a small flame flickering at his feet and tails before it went out. His blood red eyes hardened, as if he had passed judgement on the hanyou.

And then he sneezed in Toshiro's face.

Toshiro chuckled, wiping off his cheeks with an arm before blowing a wet raspberry at the black kitten in revenge. The kitten's ears folded back against his head and he bared his teeth, but in his red eyes Toshiro could see humor and mischief.

He liked it.

 _You're not like the others_. They seemed to say to him.

The pack gasped, watching in shock as the little cat that had try to cut their faces to ribbons then rubbed himself against Toshiro's crossed legs, marking the hanyou.

"He likes you!" Kagome exclaimed.

"I guess so." Toshiro said, watching the kitten as he rubbed himself against the hanyou over and over. He reached a hesitant hand down and scratched between the little youkai's ears, causing the little flames to flicker against his feet again. His red eyes closed, his furry black ears folding back as he purred. Toshiro smiled.

"He really does like you." Sango said with a smile. "That little hellion tried to claw Miroku's face apart when he tried to touch it earlier."

Inuyasha snorted. "I'd try to kill the lech too if he tried to touch me with those tainted hands."

Everyone laughed, watching as said monk rocked a kitten in his arms obviously.

"But seriously, Inuyasha." "Sango continued. "That kitten barely likes it's own siblings."

As if to prove the slayers point, another of the small youkai came up to where Toshiro still stroked the black kitten, curiously sniffing at the hanyou's diry hakama. When the black kitten noticed his sibling approaching his purring cut off with a gurgle, his eyes going immediately into angry slits, his sharp little fangs showing in warning. The little female squeaked and ran to hide behind Kagome.

"Mean little thing. " Sango tsked disapprovingly.

The black kitten turned back to Toshiro, ignoring everyone else in the room and almost grumbled at him, his head butting against the hanyous stilled hand and his eyes irritated.

 _No one told you to stop._

Toshiro snorted but resumed scratching behind the little cat's ear as he said, "He's not mean, just picky."

"Well keep his picky ass over there." Inuyasha said, scooping the female from behind his miko. "That thing tries to bite me and I'm turning him into a pair of socks."

The black kitten glared daggers at Inuyasha, baring his teeth. The larger hanyou let a growl slip from deep in his belly and the black kitten mewed, his eyes going wide before he scrambled up Toshiro's shirt and head to settle between the hanyou's ears. When he was hidden in the mass of black hair, only his bright red eyes showing, he hissed at Inuyasha again.

The older hanyou laughed.

"You're all bark."

Inuyasha placed the purring female Kagome's lap before he strode across the room and plucked the youkai from Toshiro's hair. The large hanyou plopped onto the floor, holding the little creature by the ruff of his fur and smirked at him. The black kitten hissed in what Toshiro was sure was murderous intent and swiped his little paws at Inuyasha, claws out, and missed. His momentum caused him to spin lazily in the air, his anger never lessening as the onlookers around the hut chuckled. Inuyasha scoffed before looking over at the ravenette.

"He reminds me of you."

Toshiro half smiled, watching as the kitten tried to claw at Inuyasha again and missed, forcing himself into another spin. He remembered the day he had met Inuyasha and Kagome and he smiled fully.

"Because we both think you're annoying?" He jeered at his adoptive father.

"Keh." Inuyasha snorted before turning back to the kitten. His expression turned serious, and he flicked the small youkai in the middle of the cream-colored diamond on his forehead.

The little cat's eyes went wide in surprise, and he mewed softly in submission. His previously two flicking tails tucked under him. Inuyasha huffed, and then placed the youkai back between Toshiro's ears, where he burrowed and looked grudgingly around the room.

"You're both brave." Inuyasha said as he reclaimed his spot by his miko.

 **0:0:0:0:0:**

"What will you do with them?" Toshiro asked the taijia.

They had spent the day in Sango and Miroku's hut, eating and playing with the small youkai that romped around happily. Inuyasha had even let he and Shippou skip training. Kirara seemed happy to have her rambunctious pups off of her paws, Toshiro thought. She'd only awoken long enough to eat before falling back into a peaceful seeming sleep.

Kagome, Shippou, and Inuyasha had gone back to their hut for the night, the kitsune noticeably between the two. Toshiro wanted to go with his family, but was reluctant to leave for some reason and had asked if he could stay the night with the human couple and the cats instead.

The taijia had her husband's head in her lap, three tired out kittens resting on his belly.

"Once they're old enough I'm thinking of having some of village children look after them." Sango said. "I'm sure Kirara would like to have her babies nearby, and they're all very friendly. All except yours of course." She finished on a chuckle.

The black kitten had not left his side all day. When Toshiro had moved to sit with the pack for dinner the little youkai had curled up by his legs, close to the fire. And as soon as Toshiro had finished and gone to move the kitten had grumbled at being left behind before he scurried up the back of the hanyou's shirt and back into his hair, where Toshiro could now hear him snoring softly.

"He's friendly." The hanyou defended. "And he doesn't belong to me."

"I know that, but he doesn't seem to like anyone but you." Sango smiled. "Say…. why don't you look after him for Kirara? I'm sure she wouldn't mind. You're family, and I don't think he would tolerate anyone else."

She looked to her small partner, who looked at the hanyou and the kitten asleep in his hair before she nodded with a mew.

"It's settled then." Sango nodded.

"Really?" Toshiro blushed. "You'd trust me to care for him?"

Sango lovingly ran her hands through her husband's hair, smiling down at him when he snored in the back of his throat.

"If he trusts you, then why shouldn't I?"

Toshiro could hardly believe it. Sure, he had taken a liking to the little youkai throughout the day, but he never expected to be allowed to look after him. It was quite the responsibility. The hanyou felt excitement bubble in his belly at all he could teach the kitten, at all they could do together. He did not want to keep him as a pet, but as a partner as Kirara and Sango were. They could hunt together, train together, fight together.

The hanyou beamed.

"So what will you call him?" Sango's soft voice brought Toshiro from his musing.

He remembered how the small flames flicked at the kittens feet, how his eyes blazed like fire embers, and how his personality burned brighter and he knew.

"Moeru." Toshiro dimpled. "His name is Moeru."

 **I'm so excited that it finally felt right to introduce Moeru. I hope you guys liked this chapter and the newest edition to the pack.**


	20. Picture Perfect

**I'm so sorry for the long wait guys. I may have been gone a while but I _have_ been writing and editing as well! I hope I haven't lost any of you because of my completely inconsistent updating, and I hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

 **Twenty**

 _When Toshiro awoke he was curled on his side in the main room of Sango and Miroku's hut. Someone had tucked a blanket around him and the kitten that had squeezed under his arm at one point in the night. Toshiro blinked slowly, taking in the low fire across the room and the mother and other kittens curled up beside it. He could hear the deep human breaths in one of the back rooms. He could hear the waking chirps of hungry chicks in the trees outside._

 _The hanyou sat up, stretching his arms over his head and relishing in the popping of his stiff bones. He smacked his lips a little, wetting his dry mouth as he absentmindedly scratched at his damaged ear. He was only a little surprised when he turned and saw the black kitten that was to be his partner stretch out too before blinking bleary red eyes at him._

" _I have to go home, it's nearly sun up and I have training." Toshiro said lowly before he cocked his head. "Do you want to stay with me? Your mother and Sango hopes the two of us will be partners."_

 _The kitten glanced over at his sleeping mother and littermates before looking back at the hanyou, and then he sneezed. The little youkai stood expectantly and shook out his thick fur, giving Toshiro an almost impatient look all the while._

Well, let's go then. _His eyes seemed to say to the hanyou pup._

 _Toshiro grinned and got to his feet, carefully making his way into the still quiet village. The kitten kept an easy pace at his side, dual colored paws silent in the dirt and gravel._

" _You'll have to live with me, and train with me." He told the young youkai seriously. "We need to be able to fight together if we're to be partners after all. And I'll need something to call you. Do you have a name?"_

 _The kitten shook his head, little black ears almost identical to Toshiro's folding back into his fur._

" _What do you think of the name Moeru? It means 'burn'."_

 _The youkai seemed to think about it for a moment before small flames flicked at his tails and feet, his red eyes glinted in approval. Toshiro smirked._

" _I thought you might like it."_

 _They trekked to the hut just outside of the village in a companionable silence. Moeru eyes darted this way and that, familiarizing himself with the village that would be his home, glaring a bit at the early rising villagers who smiled in their direction as they passed. Toshiro thought it was strange, how Moeru didn't feel like a stranger to him despite only meeting the grumbly youkai the day before. It had taken weeks to accept and become used to his new family, but it felt completely natural to have the fire kitten trotting along side him now. When he pushed aside the bamboo curtain of his home Toshiro found his brother hunched over in the main room, their adopted father seated across from the dozing kit and staring at the door impatiently. Inuyasha didn't look surprised to see Moeru at his son's side._

" _You're late."_

" _It's not even sunrise." Toshiro said quietly, knowing that Kagome was still asleep. He kept an eye on the kitten that had begun sniufing around the hut curiously._

" _Keh. Keep talking back and I'll make you run laps around the village until lunch."_

 _Toshiro bit back his retort._

 _Moeru had made his way over to where Shippou was barely awake, his head propped up on a hand and his eyes heavy. The sleepy kitsune reached out a cautious hand to touch the kitten and Moeru snapped his little jaw with a gurgle._

" _Don't hurt him." Toshiro growled, baring his teeth a little when the kitten turned to meet his stare. "Don't you_ dare _hurt my brother."_

 _Moeru glared for a second before the fire in his eyes melted. He huffed once at Toshiro and gave Shippou a resentful, not quite apologetic look before continuing his exploration of his new home._

" _I ain't cleaning up after no cat." Inuyasha said as he stood and tucked his sword in his belt. "Your partner, your responsibility. He better not piss all over our hut, or rip up our linens, or leave dead things around. And you better make sure he knows who to keep the claws away from."_

 _Toshiro nodded his assent but it was Moeru that Inuyasha stared down as he spoke. The little youkai met his golden eyes and dipped his head, submitting again._

" _Good. Now let's go, the three of you."_

"Will you tell him to stop glaring at me?" Shippou whispered to his brother, pulling the inu hanyou out of his head.

The three of them were crouched in a large shrub, downwind to the small pig they were currently _supposed_ to be hunting. Toshiro let the days old memory fade and lifted his nose to the chilled wind, trying to locate the exact location of their prey and ignore his companions. Until Moeru hissed at the kitsune from his other side.

He gave the fire kitten a stern look. "Knock it off."

Moeru glared back.

 _He's annoying._ His ruby eyes said to the hanyou.

"He's _mine."_ Toshiro growled. "Which means he's yours. We've been over this, and this is hardly the time."

They'd had the same half silent disagreement half a dozen times in the span of the four days that Moeru had been with them. The small youkai was insufferable. Moeru detested everyone who was not Toshiro at worst, and was annoyed by the rest of the pack at best. He hissed whenever Miroku got too close, he glared at Inuyasha almost constantly, and he growled whenever Shippou attempted to come onto Toshiro's side of the room the three of them now shared. Kagome, Sango, Kaede, and Kirara seemed to be the only ones beside Toshiro whom Moeru seemed to tolerate in any degree. Whether it was because the kitten respected them, or because they were females of the pack, Toshiro didn't know.

Even days after Inuyasha had pulled rank and made Moeru submit he glowered and sneered, and sometimes outright growled, at the village men, women, and children who came too close to him or the hanyou he'd claimed. He was never physically aggressive or threatening to anyone, but he grumbled and grumped almost constantly as he followed Toshiro to and participated in combat, and hunting, and meditation trainings. He glared and hissed at anyone who he thought was a threat, at everyone basically. A small, furry, black ball of ire with no true intentions on backing up his bark with a bite.

He reminded Toshiro of a cranky old crone.

The feline gave him a look that only the hanyou seemed capable of understanding.

 _I don't want to be around him. We could have done this on our own._

"Well, I don't care." He whisper growled back at his irritating new partner. "You train with me, you train my way. If you don't like it go back to your mother and sisters."

The little youkai was aggravated by his little sisters most of all. Whenever they went to Miroku and Sango's hut the three playful little females all raced to meet them at the door, their two tails flicking around happily and their identical eyes twinkling. Alone, one of them never dared to bother the only male in their litter, but together, the little kittens often ganged up on Moeru, using their numbers to tease their only brother mercilessly; pulling at one of his black tails, pawing at him while he slept, outright tackling or biting him when his attention was diverted. They pestered him constantly. If he'd been dealing with their antics since his birth Toshiro couldn't entirely blame him for always being so grouchy.

The ebony kitten sucked on his teeth and looked away, knowing he'd lost.

"I thought so."

"It's moving." Shippou said suddenly, his body stiffening and his eyes far away as he listened, his tail swishing quietly through a pile of leaves. He looked to Toshiro. "Nii-san?"

The hanyou nodded. "You take the right, Moeru the left. I'll take center. Like we practiced."

The three boys nodded their conformation before darting off to surround their prey before they pounced with a grace and coordination that not a single one of them noticed.

 **0:0:0:0:**

Kagome sat in the shade of Goshinboku, the warmth of the bark against her back warding off the cold afternoon, a romance novel balanced on her knees. The snow had started to melt, leaving patches of slush and mud along the forest floor. The miko had brought a soft blue blanket from their hut to sit on, coloring pages and picture books spread out and awaiting the return of her boys.

 _My boys,_ Kagome thought and smiled.

The term warmed her chest. For so long she'd thought of Shippou as her own, and it had been as easy as breathing to accept and love Toshiro just as she had with the kitsune. He was so different than the boy she'd found all those weeks ago; terrified, hurt from wounds both internal and external, guarded, enraged with the world. Something had changed in him that night they'd run into Kouga. Toshiro was still, of course, his rather quiet, reserved self, but he was quicker to smile in the recent days. He was quicker to romp around and wrestle with Shippou, and now Moeru. He was more open to, and seemed to revel in, moments in which Sango would hug him, or Miroku would help him adjust his defensive stance, or Inuyasha would affectionately ruffle his hair.

But the biggest change she'd seen in him was in regard to her herself. Nearly two months ago Toshiro had gone for Kagome's throat, had snapped at her whenever she tried to touch or comfort him, had growled at her whenever she got too close. Now the pup's eyes immediately sought her out when he entered a room, he was the first to claim a seat beside her at dinner, had even _asked_ for something from her time a few days ago; a set of colored pencils that he now stashed under his pillow with his treasured Van Gogh book. He'd grown so much in the short time that she'd known him.

Both of them had.

With Toshiro's appearance and influence Shippou had stepped up. The kitsune took his training with the hanyous very seriously. He had become stronger, and smarter, and even a bit more mature. Shippou had thrown one of his famous tantrums once, weeks ago, and Toshiro was quick to tell the red faced kit how the behavior was unbecoming of a warrior, how he should accept the rare 'nos' he got from his family as what they were, that he was better than petty tantrums. Shippou had apologized profusely to Sango for his outburst, bowing and begging forgiveness with his forehead touching the ground.

The kitsune had not thrown a fit since. They were good for each other, Kagome thought. The kitsune taught Toshiro that it was okay to have fun, to laugh with others and be silly sometimes. And the inu hanyou taught Shippou that working hard was not a bad thing, that having pride in your skills, and having the dicipline to practice those skills, didn't mean that one could not have a good time.

They had been out hunting for nearly an hour, by themselves for once after begging and insisting that they could do so on their own.

They were becoming exceptional hunters under Inuyasha's tutelage, able to bring down and clean small creatures with almost no hassle. Kagome had noticed that the boys often presented their kills to her after their hunts, proud smirks on their faces and their little chests puffed out in pride. Moeru had even started bringing food to her, although grudgingly. The little youkai had only been with them for a few days, but on the afternoon of the second he had gently placed a field mouse at her feet when Toshiro had presented her with a rabbit, glaring at the ground all the while. Inuyasha had said that because they saw her as their alpha female even the grumpy Moeru would often pine for her approval and attention.

And it wasn't just dead things they gave her; A week ago Shippou had brought her a bouquet of wild winter flowers. He'd snuck off during lunch and spent almost an hour hunting and picking the fragrant peonies, his fingers littered with thorn pricks when he presented the bright pink and purple flowers to her. He'd then taken a couple of the large petals and carefully wove them into beautiful crowns for her and Sango to wear. The little kitsune had been so proud of his work that the two women had worn them for days.

Moeru had begun bringing her materials to fashion more of her sacred arrows the day that Toshiro had brung him home; sharp, jagged pieces of rock to make her arrowheads, precise strips wood he'd carved off of a maple and oak tree for the shafts, large white feathers the kitten had somehow plucked off of birds for the nocks. The fire youkai brought the material little by little, day by day, obviously taking care in what he chose to present to Kagome. Then he sat in front of her and watched intently as she created the ammo for her weapon of choice.

Toshiro had drawn and given her an astoundingly realistic portrait of herself just the night before. She knew exactly when he'd captured her; an unusually warm night when the pack had eaten dinner outside. He'd captured the flickers of fire light along her skin perfectly, had drawn the shadowed shape of Inuyasha's hut against the darkening sky, had combined colors to match the exact shade of brown as her eyes, had made the windblown blue black strands of her hair so detailed that for a moment she'd thought she could reach into the picture and brush them out of her double's eyes. She hadn't realized that night that he'd brought out his colored pencils and paper to recreate her, she'd had no idea that he was so talented.

Inuyasha was now still brooding and silent in the boughs of the God Tree above her, sulking at being excluded from the boys' hunt for lunch though he'd never admit to doing so. The silence between them was driving her insane. They'd barely spoken in over a week and she didn't think she could take much more of the awkward pauses, the contemplative looks he shot her when he thought she wasn't looking. She'd spent many nights since their argument trying to pluck up the courage to talk to him, trying to force herself to turn and face where she knew he slept upright by their bedroom door, but she never could.

She was behaving like a coward and she hated it. She knew that she needed to settle their spat, if not for their sake then for the sake of their boys. Shippou and Toshiro were not stupid, she knew that they often put themselves between her and Inuyasha, purposely antagonizing the hanyou or engaging the miko in conversation to ebb some of the strain they no doubt sensed. She _could not_ continue to avoid this, no matter how much the idea of arguing with him again made her stomach churn.

She snapped closed her book, her brown eyes hardening in resolve. And just as she was about to call up to the hanyou above her he jumped down of his own accord, landing in a crouch with his nose inches from her own. His golden eyes glowed with determination, his white ears flicked nervously on the top of his head.

"Stop being angry with me." He said demandingly.

Kagome blinked, realizing that his thoughts must have gone in the same directions as her own in their silence. She tried to lean back to put some space between them but realized she had nowhere to go. So she mustered up that courage that had filled her the night she'd stood up to Kouga, straightened her spine, and glared back.

"Back up."

His eyes narrowed, but he obliged, his ears folding back as he rested on his haunches. He started at her silently for a moment, his shoulders tense and his claws digging into the quilt beneath them.

"I want you to stop being angry with me."

"I want you to tell me what you want, Inuyasha." She retorted without preamble.

No dodging around the issue this time.

"When did you become so forward?" He curled his lip.

"When I realized that you wouldn't be." She crossed her arms over her grey sweater.

Inuyasha's cheeks pinked, he cut his eyes away as he said, "You know what I want."

"Do I?" Kagome raised a brow in challenge.

 _Say it._ She was having no more of this nonsense. She knew he had feelings for her, she wasn't stupid. She knew that he felt _something_ for her even if it wasn't as deeply as she felt for him. But it was something. And he refused to acknowledge it. All these years, after everything they'd been through and still he refused to acknowledge it. So she'd make him. She wouldn't keep playing this game. _Say it._

Inuyasha bared his teeth a little, his temper rising to meet her own.

"You do."

 _Say it, baka!_

"Say it. Say it, or go back into Goshinboku and let me go back to my book." Her aura crackled with her frustration.

A deep growl verberated in the hanyou's chest, his golden eyes going to slits. "You're really starting to piss me off, woman."

"And _you're_ really becoming tiresome, _man."_

" _Oi!_ The fuck is that supposed to-"

" _Do you have feelings for me or not?!"_ Kagome yelled down at him, not noticing until then that she'd sprung to her feet.

Inuyasha blinked once at her in shock, twice, his ears folding back to hide in his hair at her exclamation. He rose slowly to his feet, towering over her again. His eyes were wide, and beautiful, and filled with heartbreaking longing.

Kagome wanted to punch him.

" . . . Yes, but-"

"There is no but, Inuyasha." Kagome cut him off, letting her newfound boldness speak the words she'd always been so afraid to say. But she found that she wasn't afraid anymore. She'd faced much more terrifying things than her feelings before. "It's so simple. It may not always have been but it is _now_. There's you, and there's me, and there's those two _amazing_ little boys that we chose to be responsible for."

He just stared at her, effectively stunned. Kagome sighed through her nose, willing patience to cool the anxious thrum of her blood in her veins as she continued. "I'm not asking you to profess your undying love to me if that's what you think. I'm not even asking you to be with me if that's not what you want. I'm asking you to be honest _for once_ about this, about how you feel. No avoiding, no games, no sarcastic crap."

He swallowed audibly. "T-the jewel-"

She took a step toward him, having to crane her neck back a bit to meet his eyes. "Do you. Have feeling. For me. Or not." She enunciated each word, matching the intensity in his eyes with her own. "If you don't then you need to just say so I can-"

He cut her off with a tug, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her body flush against his a moment before his lips descended on her own. Kagome felt more than heard his whispered, " _Yes."_ against her lips, felt his heart slamming through his layers of clothes. Her hands instinctively went up around his shoulders to feel them sag with relief as she kissed him back. She smiled against his soft, insistent lips, the tension and stress melting out of her as he wrapped his other arm securely around her. She pressed herself closer and was rewarded when Inuyasha let loose a low rumble in his chest, the sound and the feel of his youki wrapping around her causing her to go pliant and giving in his arms.

"Kagome." He murmured her name between their lips, its sound like a blessing and a curse. "Kagome."

Finally. _Finally_. The miko thought. After five years of hoping and wishing, finally Inuyasha was ready to be honest with her, finally he was ready to see what she felt for him as what it was, maybe even accept her feelings. She opened her mouth under his own and his growl of approval had her toes curling in her boots. Her hands traveled up into his hair and just as his tongue delved into her mouth-

"Kami, my eyes!" A voice shrieked.

The two sprang apart, their cheeks blazing and their eyes glazed as they took in the two boys staring at them, one in abject horror, the other in a beaming happiness. Moeru was seated beside his partner, nonchalantly licking his paws clean of blood assumedly from the dead boar a few feet behind them.

Shippou's hands were covering his mouth as if he were about to throw up. "Get a hut, Gods!"

Kagome was sure her face was as red as Inuyasha's haori. She giggled nervously, noting that Inuyasha still had a secure hand on her hip despite being pink up to his ears.

"Don't be rude." Toshiro flicked the smaller boy in the ear before turning to the still embarrassed adults. His small smile was genuine and hopeful. "I think it's nice that she's accepted him as her mate."

Kagome's face twisted in confusion at the same time that Inuyasha's flush deepened even further. He sputtered unintelligibly before he barked, "Ya don't know nuffin, you pest. We ain't mates yet."

"I never really understood the concept of mates." The miko honesetly before she turned in Inuyasha's arm to raise an eyebrow at him. "And what do you mean, 'yet'?"

"Well, because he intends on-" Toshiro began excitedly, but was cut off when a heavy hand pushed his head down.

The kitsune laughed, the youkai on his brother's other side rolling his red eyes.

"Be-because we're taking things one day at a time?" Even as he said it uncertainty swam in Inuyasha's eyes. Kagome smiled at him approvingly and the older hanyou sighed in relief.

Toshiro shot Inuyasha a death glare, his head still held down by the other hanyou's hand. But the look melted away into warmth when he saw his two adoptive parents staring into each other's eyes like they'd forgotten anyone else was there.

One day at a time, Kagome thought with a contented sigh, as Inuyasha placed a light kiss on her forehead. She could do that.

Toshiro cleared his throat nervously, dislodging Inuyasha's hand with a shake of his head before meeting his bother's green eyes. The kitsune nodded minutely before the hanyou pup swallowed audibly and asked, "D-Does this mean I can call you 'mother' and 'father'?"

Inuyasha began a fit of coughing, Kagome rolled her eyes at him before kneeling down to eye level with the two boys. She reached out gentle hands, running one through the hair of each of the squirming boys and even reached over to tweak one of Moeru's little ears despite his grumbling. She gave them her softest, most sincere smile.

"Of course you can call me 'mother', if that's what you want." She cut her eyes up at the still hacking hanyou, who coughed once more at her look before kneeling beside her.

"Don't call me 'father'." He said after he cleared his throat, a horrified look in his eyes. Before Kagome had a chance to feel disappointed in him the hanyou rushed on at the look in the boys' eyes. "That sounds too old, and I ain't old. Call me-call something else."

Kagome saw the mischievous glint form in Shippou's eyes right before the kit placed a thoughtful hand on his chin.

"Hmmm." He said dramatically. Toshiro sniggered, already knowing what nonsense his brother was up to. "What about. . . 'Papa'?"

Inuyasha sputtered predictably. "N-not that either, you runt!"

"'Daddy'?"

"No!"

"Well, what about 'Old Man'?" Shippou grinned. "I think it fits."

" _What?!_ I'll fit _you_ in a ditch you little-"

And Inuyasha took after the kitsune, Shippou cackling in glee as he dodged his father's clawed hands and took off across the clearing. Kagome fell down in a fit of giggles, knowing that Inuyasha could catch the boy in a second if he'd truly wanted, that the older hanyou was just embarrassed if his blazing face was anything to go by. Toshiro plopped down next to her on the soft blanket, laughing openly and freely as they watched Inuyahsha yell and complain at the different names Shippou was still giving him as he was chased around and around. Moeru snorted and curled up on Toshiro's other side to sleep until dinner.

Kagome smiled at the picture her family painted, and wondered if she'd one day ask Toshiro to draw them one to hang in their home.


	21. With Promise

**WARNING: POSSIBLE TRIGGERS AHEAD. This chapter was a little hard for me to write. Though some of you may not even think I needed to add the warning, I sure felt as if I did. Abuse is never okay, and never easy to write, or read. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter despite the terrible situation our boy is presented with.**

 **Twenty One**

Things were good. Toshiro had a warm bed to sleep in every night, and a partner with whom he shared that bed, and a brother to bicker and play with, and food to fill his belly until he could hardly move. He had a taijia to teach him how to hold a dagger, and a monk who painted with him whenever he wished, and an old miko who helped him meditate to focus his youki well past training time.

He had parents. Ones who cared for him, who read him stories, and reprimanded him for drawing when he should be writing his alphabet. Who kissed his cheeks and ruffled his hair, but never tweaked his ears because they knew he was still uncomfortable with them being touched.

And things were good.

It'd been a few days since he was human, and still he was shaking off the sluggish unease he felt on those half moon nights. When his youki had pulsed in warning Toshiro's brother had given him a look, one of understanding and question before the hanyou nodded and the two had sped off into the forest, Moeru quiet of grumbling for once as he followed at their heels.

The pack now knew he turned from hanyou to human being on the first half moon of the month, knew what to expect, and did not shout or worry when he ran from the village when the sun began to set. They understood that Toshiro's human night was something he was not yet ready to share with everyone, a vulnerable time he only really felt comfortable sharing with his chosen brother, and now his partner. Inuyasha and Kagome didn't question the boys; they respected that Toshiro needed Shippou and Moeru alone, gave them the space to support one another, and trusted them not to stray too far in case of an emergency.

The trio'd found another small cave just into Inuyasha's Forest and once the moon was high in the sky, the left half of its face dark, the hanyou felt the drain of his youkai leaving him for the second time since he'd found his family.

He was instinctively shot through with panic as his fangs retracted into his gums, as his eyesight clouded and the din of the forest turned to a dull thrum around him. But looking at the blurred shapes of Shippou and Moeru's backs at the mouth of the cave had calmed him, had allowed him to breathe through the anxiety that drowned him each time he transformed. When it was over he'd sagged in exhaustion, struggled to keep his dark blue eyes open as the onslaught of the day's training took its toll on his human body. He'd dragged his feet to plop against his younger brother as they had that first half moon night, Moeru slinking over to curl against his side protectively, his red eyes watchful and awake as the boy fell unconscious with a hand holding onto his mutilated human ear.

It was dusk now, the sky shot through with purple veins as the sun began to set and the boy shook off the memory.

Toshiro and his partner were hunting. Not for food, they had plenty, but for practice, and in the hopes of expelling the nervous energy that'd plagued the hanyou since his parents left the day before.

The duo had decided to venture a little deeper than they usually would to hunt even with the knowledge that it was dangerous with Inuyasha away in Kagome's time, and that the moon was soon to rise above the trees, and that they _technically_ weren't supposed to be out in the forest at all. Maybe he was being a little reckless with his adoptive parents away until tomorrow morning, but the animals in the forest near their home knew the scents of the hanyou and saber kitten by now, knew to hide or run long before the two got the chance to track them down. And even without having Shippou to watch his back they were fully capable of going a little farther out on their own. The kitsune was busy helping out at Kaede's, where Toshiro and his partner were admittedly supposed to be themselves.

 _Where is that stupid cat?_ He thought as he stomped through the looming trees.

They'd split up to corral a flock of wild fowl, but his companion's scent went in the opposite direction than the one the birds had taken. Which was strange. Moeru usually wasn't one to deter from a plan or set of rules; He growled when Toshiro tried to sleep in when it was time to train, he nipped the hanyou when he noticed his partner's mind starting to wander during reading or writing lessons, and Toshiro had had to _beg_ the youkai to come out hunting with him when he'd told the old miko they were only going for a walk through the village.

Toshiro sighed through his nose, pushing his disobedience to the back of his mind and straining to hear the saber's light footsteps through Inuyasha's Forest.

The pup knew that calling out for his partner would be unwise, it would not only scare their prey away, but tell the more nefarious things of the night his location. So Toshiro took a deep inhale to scent his partner instead... and froze at what he smelled on the cold wind.

His body immediately locked in instinctive fear, sweat beading on his neck. He--he knew that smell in the breeze, but it was in no way the feline's. Knew the scent as clearly as he knew his own but there--there was no way... _No way._

The chirps and croaks and rustles of the forest suddenly quieted when a strong, violent blast of youki shot through the wood.

Toshiro felt a gasp catch in his throat and tried to will his body to retreat, to _run_ , but it wouldn't. Not as he watched Orochi stroll through a break in the trees as if he owned the ground he walked on, not as he saw those wicked green eyes glint in silent promise. Not as the figure of his very nightmares smiled at him as if they were long lost friends.

The pup took in that familiar golden armor, those claws that had caused so many of the scars on his body, that snake like smile, and _whimpered._

The inu youkai halted his stalk mere inches away, so close that the hanyou pup could scent the clinging smells of the Southern Land's sand and brine from his clothes, could _feel_ the malice pouring off of the male's body in waves.

Toshiro's own body felt rooted to the ground, as if all of the fire in his blood had turned to leaden ice.

Orochi smirked at him for a few silent moments, his pine green eyes assessing the clean clothes, the rounded cheeks, before he casually said, "You've changed."

Toshiro winced at the sound his voice, averting his honey eyes as years of torture and humiliation and submission came crashing into him. How had he been found? Was Katsumi here? Why had he gone out of the village? _How could he have been so stupid?_

Orochi circled him, faint amusement lighting his tone.

"You look strong, and healthy. You've grown taller, and cut your hair. Such drastic changes wrought in just a few months..." The youkai mused before squatting down, reaching out to grip the stunned boy by the face. Toshiro swallowed a yelp as the male gave him a terrifying grin. "Your aunt was rather distraught at your disappearance. And I've heard the most _interesting_ stories of you on my quest to bring you home. I wonder what Katsumi will think of her Maggot when I deliver him to her."

Silent tears began to flow freely down Toshiro's cheeks as those horrifyingly familiar claws pressed into his golden skin. Panic and terror wrapped tight around his chest, keeping him from speaking, from thinking, from breathing.

"Not even a hello?" Orochi shook the pup a little, his canines flashing. "I've come such a long way, and this is the greeting I get?"

The pup only swallowed and cried harder, squeezing his eyes shut.

 _Inuyasha, Kagome... please._

He didn't realize he'd whispered their names aloud until, like lightning striking, Orochi backhanded Toshiro across the face. The boy's head whipped to the side violently, his cheek instantly swelling and his bangs falling to cover his eyes. He heard the youkai stand, and didn't fight when the male hit him a second time across the same cheek, the force of it knocking the hanyou to his knees.

" _Who?_ " Orochi sneered hatefully. "Calling out for help, Maggot? Have you forgotten all that we've taught you?"

Another strike across the face, the other side this time. The inu youkai's claws nicked Toshiro's swollen cheek, the pup's tears stinging as they continued down his bruised face and into the open wound.

"You do not trust." Smack. "You do not beg." Smack. "You do not _feel_." Smack. _SMACK._

Toshiro knew that he should be defending himself. Knew that by now all of his defensive training should have kicked in, knew that his youki should have been raging and roaring, but he felt nothing but numbing terror. In his head he heard a voice that sounded like Inuyasha's growling at him to get up, to fight, to run, to do _something_. But he couldn't find the will to do so. Not as years and years and years of feeling inferior and useless snuffed out the fire in his blood like a candle, not as a steel toed boot dealt him a crushing blow to his middle, causing him to double over with a soundless cry. Not as Orochi grasped onto his damaged ear with just his claws and _squeezed_.

Not as he retreated to that corner in his mind that he hadn't had to live in for a long while, where he could not feel pain, could not hear the slurs and insults Orochi spit at him, could do nothing but wait until the torture stopped.

He deserved this for thinking he could be happy.

He deserved this for thinking he could ever escape.

"Did you think you could escape?" He heard Orochi chuckle distantly, saw him flick blood from his claws with his spotted vision. "Did you think these disgusting _things_ I smell on you would care whether you live or die? They do not. You have always been, and will always be, nothing more than a _maggot_."

Maggot. Maggot. Maggot. The word rang through his head in a loathsome knell, a word he'd thought was his own name for the first years of his life, a word that he'd almost forgotten in his stolen happiness. Orochi snatched up Toshiro by the neck, the pup letting his body dangle limply and his eyes go blank and unseeing. Maggot. Let him be beaten into a bloody pulp, let him be dragged back to the Southern Castle to spend out the days of his worthless life. Maggot. It was were he belonged all along; squirming at Katsumi's feet. _Maggot._

He was a fool for thinking otherwise.

With his blurred vision he saw Orochi raise a fist, and did not brace himself for the blow to come. But it didn't, for the silence of the forest was broken by a furious yowl. Toshiro dropped heavily to the forest floor as he was released, Orochi screeching as a bright light slammed into him. The pup found the strength to drag his foggy head up and saw that a black tuft of flame had launched itself at the inu youkai, wrapping itself around the male's raised hand and sinking razor sharp fangs in deep. Toshiro looked on in hazy shock as Orochi bellowed in pain, and saw that it was Moeru who had latched onto the youkai's hand, three times larger than the kitten that burrowed in his hair at night, tails and paws aflame, his red eyes nearly glowing with rage.

Orochi collected himself enough to snatch the transformed cat by his ruff, his skin ripping as Moeru's fangs dragged through flesh and tendon. Toshiro could do nothing but watch as the inu hanyou growled in fury and flug the feline away, Moeru flying through the air to smack against a gnarled tree.

Toshiro heard the crunch of bone from where he'd dragged himself back into a kneel.

The grotesque sound was like a gong in his head, beating back the waves of pain and fear that threatened to choke him. He needed to do something, he _had_ to do something. His could see out of only one eye, and his head spun with dizziness, and his lip was split, but still he felt that fire again spark low in his gut as Moeru's own flames winked out. As his partner's red eyes sparked in agony before they closed.

Himself being beaten into oblivion was one thing, he cared little for his own life. But Moeru… Moeru was his partner, his _pack_. He had been by his side since the day they'd met, had seen him for what he was and had not thought less of him for being a hanyou, a maggot. Had claimed him as his own despite Toshiro's temper, and moodiness, and distance. Deserved better than to die defending someone as useless as him.

The inu youkai male was stomping over to Toshiro's fallen friend, raising a booted foot to stomp down when the pup felt his youki snap to attention.

 _No._

"Leave him alone." His voice as was broken and raw, his knees and arms shook, but still he forced himself to stand.

He glared at Orochi with his black and blue and swollen face, with everything he had, as the male turned to him with a look of disbelief, foot still poised to crush Moeru's ribs.

"Excuse me?"

Toshiro's hands trembled as he balled them into fists, his youki anxious and afraid, but demanding he protect the youkai he'd claimed as his own. _His own._

 _Mine._

"I--I said leave him alone." The hanyou managed to shift his feet apart despite the forest's spinning, managed to speak though it felt like swallowing glass. "Your fight is with me."

Orochi blinked once at his defensive stance before he burst into boisterous laughter, the sound making the hanyou's head pound. But the male moved his foot from above the unconscious saber, that was all Toshiro cared about.

"Fight? Is that so?" He sniggered, running his shredded hand through his hair, not noticing or caring about the blood he tracked through it. "What have these stupid village people been teaching you? Don't fret, Maggot I think I killed it already."

Orochi sucked on a tooth, shoving Moeru none to gently with the toe of his boot. The kitten didn't make a sound, as if he were indeed dead. Toshiro growled deep in his chest, felt his youki whip out in warning to Orochi, felt his youkai markings burn onto his discolored cheeks as his temper flared.

The male turned with a smirk.

"The famous flames I've heard so much about?" Orochi cooed. "I should be so honored."

"Don't." Toshiro growled, more beast than boy.

It was all he could get out as anxiety and fury and fear swirled into a dangerous mix in his veins. He felt his youki free from the confines of his body, flames begin to burn along his skin, in his hair, and let them come unbidden from his core. He heard the crackling as his clothes and the grass beneath him were set aflame, as the trees around them began to smoke. His youkai pounded in his blood like a heartbeat, drowning out his pain, and fear, and self loathing.

 _Moeru. Moeru. Moeru._

Orochi cackled in surprise, Toshiro's fire highlighting the bit of madness in his eyes. He rested a hand on the honed sword at his hip, his brown hair quickly beginning to stick to his brow with the heat coming from the hanyou pup.

" _Don't._ " He snarled again. Even as his blood sang in his veins; _The youkai hurt pack. The youkai hurt you. Hurt him. **Kill him!**_

The inu youkai's voice was soft, taunting, despite being surrounded by raging fire. "How you've changed, Toshiro."

The remaining rational part of the hanyou's brain cringed at his name on the youkai's lips, somehow sounding worse than the derogatory nickname he'd been given at his birth.

Orochi drew his sword slowly, eyes on every move and shift the flaming hanyou made. When that long, dangerous golden blade was pointed at him, Toshiro felt himself do something he'd never dared in his life. He grinned at Orochi, bared his teeth at the older male in challenge. The bright red and green of his transformed eyes begged the other to strike as the hanyou's youkai raged in his head.

Orochi's armor flickered in the firelight, his fangs set in a snarl before he lunged, and Toshiro exploded in a ball of rage and anguish and despair and fire.

 **:0:0:0:0:0**

 _"Toshiro!"_

He was burning. Not his skin or hair, but his mind. He was lost in a haze of agony, and bloodlust, and worry. A single eye flickered open long enough to see the forest around him engulfed in flame, to see the snow and grass melted away, branches and leaves burning and falling around where he lay, the sky thick and suffocating with smoke and embers. He knew immediately that he'd caused the forest fire, felt his youki raging and lashing about the burning trees. But he didn't care.

 _Moeru. Where is Moeru?_

 _"Toshiro!"_

That voice, he knew that voice. A hammer beat mercilessly inside his head as his good eye cut to the source of that voice, as he saw Miroku maneuvering his way through the hellish blaze to get to him, his face covered in soot and his eyes bright with dread. Moeru was dangling comatose and small again in his arms.

Something flashed in the flames behind the human.

 _Miroku... Behind you..._

But the man was too busy fighting to get to him to see the twin sparks of green that flashed in a billow of smoke, smoldering in disbelieving fury. Toshiro did not have the voice to warn the monk as he burned and burned. But Orochi did not attack. The youkai only bared his teeth at the prone hanyou pup in promise, eyes made all the more hateful by the burns and blisters covering half of the warrior's face.

And then he was gone, a green flash in a sea of red and gold and black.

And slowly, so slowly, Toshiro's youki began to return to him, the fire withdrawing to spool into his skin and burrowing deep in his bones as it sensed the threat's disappearance.

Toshiro barreled into unconsciousness just as Miroku crashed to his knees before him.

 **:0:0:0:0:0**

They'd been gone less than two days, _two_ , and the moment they emerged from the well and into the cold morning Kagome had stiffened. The glowing warmth that'd adorned her face from visiting her family had vanished, only to be replaced by a fear and wrath so intense that the Inuyasha's hair had stood up on end.

He jumped them out of the well, only to stop when he smelled what the miko must have sensed. Fire. And fear. And pain. All laced through the forest he'd called his home for years, all intertwined with the scent of the hanyou pup that he'd claimed as his own.

He snatched up the still frozen Kagome and gunned it for the village, his mind moving a mile a minute, his eyes trained on the smoking trees in the distance. He willed his chest to move, made himself breathe through the panic that threatened to suffocate him.

 _You better be okay, pest, or I'm gonna kill ya._

They rushed through the village, through the men and women pointing and whispering at the smoke billowing from the forest as if they weren't there. Kaede's. The pups were at Kaede's, they were told to _stay_ at Kaede's until he and Kagome returned. They were told to stay in the village.

 _What the hell happened?_

He got his answer when he skidded to a stop in the old healer's doorway. Sango begun weeping the moment she saw them, the monk holding her covered in burns along his hands and neck, his robes scorched and tattered enough to see the taijia suit he wore underneath. Kaede was in the corner, mixing healing contents in a bowl, her wrinkled face lined with worry and exhaustion. Shippou and Kirara were standing protectively in front of two huddled figures, the kit's eyes lined with tears and his teeth bared at the door. He let out a shuddering breath when he saw it was his parents before he sagged to his knees, silent tears rushing down his cheeks that Kirara licked away.

Kagome shoved herself out of Inuyasha's arms without a second thought and rushed to kneel by the crumpled, bandaged creatures in the middle of the room. Kirara moved with her to curl around the smaller of the two, Moeru, who was bandaged from head to tails, a splint encasing one of his hind legs, the black fur above his left eye shaved away to treat a wicked gash that would no doubt scar.

And Toshiro.

His pup... his son.

Was beaten beyond recognition. His face was disfigured, mottled and swollen, bruised so dark it seemed black in some places. Several lumps along his cheeks had split open, the blood dried and caked with soot. His right eye was swollen completely shut, red stained bandages wrapped tight around his forehead. The usually shiny pink edge of his damaged ear was a mangled mess. Around his throat wrapped deep red marks; fingerprints.

Inuyasha turned away, couldn't stand to look at the boy he'd grown to love so broken, couldn't watch his miko pull their pup into her lap and cry so hard she barely breathed.

He felt his heart fissure at the same time he felt his youkai rake savage claws down his spine.

 _WHO?_

Miroku saw the question boiling in his eyes, saw his hands curl at his sides and his youkai markings flash on his skin.

The monk moved to settle in front of Kaede and her medicines, met his best friend's red stare with a wince. Shame and pain and grime lined his face. He cleared his throat none too gently, his voice still grave and raw when he spoke.

"When Kaede told me that he and Moeru had yet to return I went searching for them through the village. I looked--I looked everywhere; the lake, marketplace, all to no avail. None of the village children claimed to had seen them. I--I'd just made it to your hut when I saw the smoke rising from the forest, and so I ran. I _ran_ Inuyasha, into the forest, right into the fire, and found him burning as bright as a star in the middle of it."

But that still didn't tell him why Toshiro was beaten so badly, didn't tell him-

" _Who did this to him?_ " It was Kagome, her aura crackling dangerously and her son cradled to her chest. She ghosted a trembling hand over the ugly bruises on Toshiro's neck, too busy assessing the unconscious pup to see Miroku turn his violet eyes on her.

"There was... a male amongst the flames. Trying to push through the blaze to get to Toshiro. Through the smoke I saw him grinning, a blade bright red and melting to the ground by his side. I did not see his face fully, but I saw the swirling green of inu youkai markings upon his cheek… " Miroku swallowed. "And I heard him call Toshiro… that word."

The hut was so quiet Inuyasha could hear Toshiro's low, labored breaths.

They all knew the word with which the the monk meant. Shippou had recounted the events of the hyena den for Inuyasha and the others in those days after the rescue, when Toshiro had been unconscious and recuperating. The clever fox had pretended to faint in Tadao's arms when he'd been snatched, and spent his time at Leiko's feet listening to their every word. The word 'maggot', the kit had said, had triggered his brother's transformation with Tadao, had snapped the constant control the young hanyou had over himself and turned him into something bloodthirsty and merciless.

Shippou padded over to his miko now, eyes wide with fear as he climbed carefully onto Kagome's lap beside his sleeping brother.

This male… Someone from the pup's past who had no doubt come for him. Come from a past that Inuyasha admittedly had no clue about. He should have pushed the pest to talk about it more, should have known more about where Toshiro came from and how he'd ended up on that hill those months ago. He should have _been there_ to protect him.

Inuyasha had been a father for no less than a week, and already he'd failed.

He forced back the sound of his youkai roaring in his ears, made himself unclench his teeth to ask, "And this male got away?"

The monk nodded, flinching a bit when Kaede smeared a thick salve onto his blistering throat.

"Young Toshiro has been in a deep sleep since Miroku found him." The old miko said calmly, though the wrinkles around her eye pinched with upset. "He expended a large amount of his youki, and sustained a fractured rib in the altercation."

A fractured rib. This male… this youkai _broke_ his son's rib.

Inuyasha was going to kill that mother _fu_ -

"I'm going to kill him."

It was Kagome. Her hold on the battered pup tightened as every eye in the room turned to her, as every being held their breath. Pink miko's aura flicked dangerously behind her brown eyes, those of which were not clouded with grief and fear, but clear with promise, with death. She did not reach to wipe away the tears that cut down her cheeks like knives.

"He won't get away with this, Kagome." Sango said, her voice like tempered steel despite her sniffling. "He will be dealt with, whoever he is."

But the miko had eyes only for Inuyasha, for the man who didn't balk or shiver in wary at the murderous anger in her eyes; he was sure his own burned with it.

"Find you brother, Inuyasha. He can tell us what he knows of this youkai, maybe even where to find him." She said, her voice devoid of emotion even as she ran a hand through Shippou's hair. "And when we do... He will regret laying a _finger_ on our son."

Inuyasha's youkai howled vicious agreement.


	22. Grounded

**Twenty two**

 _How you've changed, Toshiro . . ._

The hanyou pup shot upright with a choking noise, feeling like large hands were wrapped around his windpipe. He tried to take in desperate lungs full of air around the splitting roar in his ears, the splintering pain that wracked him whenever he inhaled, but he couldn't. He could barely breathe, barely think past the tightness in his throat and the terrible stabbing along his ribs, could barely feel anything beyond a wretched ache.

His entire being felt as if it had been trampled by an ox youkai, his head, his chest, and his many bruises pounding along with his rapid heart beat. The sounds of his own breathing seemed far away with his again mangled right ear carefully, completely bandaged.

Orochi.

Orochi had found him. Orochi had beat him blind, and hurt his Moeru. He'd managed to wound the male, had somehow managed to run him off. But now Katsumi would find him, now knew where he'd hidden these months. Katsumi would hunt him down, and try to kill his pack for spite. Gods, he couldn't _breathe._ Every stuttering inhale felt like he was swallowing shards of jagged glass. He could still feel the inu youkai's hand wrapped around his throat, could still feel him squeezing the life from his chest.

Gods, gods, _gods!_

" _Toshiro!"_

A dominating voice cut through his veil of panic, forced him to peel open his eyes where they had been squeezed shut. To see that he was no longer in a flame engulfed forest, was no longer facing his greatest nightmare. He was home, he was safe.

For the time being.

He was warm, a heavy blanket pooled about his waist, seated on a thick futon so soft he could cry. He was surrounded by familiar scents, by the comforting smells of his mother and father, of the family he'd chosen for himself. Their scents permeated every inch of the room he sat in--in their hut on the edge of the village. His brother's distant scent told him that Shippou had been there recently. Moeru's own was still heavy in the air close by, mingling with that of another.

He forced himself to look at her.

Kagome sat criss-cross beside where he'd been laying cocooned on her bedroll. Her eyes were bright with distress, but also ripe with an authority that he had never seen before, that instinctively helped calm his racing heart. Her hands still rested on her knees, as if she had been meditating before he shot awake. Her shoulders were slumped as she gazed at him, dark purple smudged under her eyes like old paint. Her long black hair was a ragged mess down her back, as if she'd run her fingers through it too many times to count, and had not bothered to care about the knots that formed because of it. Her nails were bitten down to the bloody quick, her chest rising and falling unevenly as she met his stare.

He forced down a ragged, broken breathe as Kagome watched him, as he came down from his panicked high, as he saw her run a tired hand through her tangled tresses yet again.

His fault, Toshiro's mind whispered hatefully to him, it was his fault that she looked as if she'd trudged through Hell and back. He had been irresponsible, he had lied, and disobeyed them.

He was the cause of her pain . . . again.

He'd broken their trust.

He almost reached out a shaking hand to brush her arm, but pulled back when his last thought was accompanied by a pain that barked in his ribs at the movement. He was familiar enough with the spearing pain; his ribs had been broken. It would take a few more days for the bones to heal completely. Kagome's brown eyes snapped from his bandaged, bare torso to meet his own immediately, and in them he saw her heart break as she took in his black and blue face.

He tried to smile at her, was sure it came out as a grimace.

He tried to swallow, but gave up when the action only caused him to yip in pain.

"You're awake." She said in a voice that broke the boy's own heart.

This woman really _loved_ him. And he'd broken her trust.

"Mother. . ." His throat stained to get the single word out.

Her face crumbled at his utterance, and she wept. Ugly broken sounds of relief and despair shook her as she reached out to grasp his outstretched hand in both of hers. She pressed her brow to his knuckles and hiccuped, her eyes closing as wretched, wet sounds broke from her chest.

The pup found his own tears spill over his cheeks, felt them squeeze out of a swollen, healing eye. He didn't feel that he deserved her tears; he'd made her cry twice now. He still felt Orochi's phantom hands around his throat, could still feel his warm breath in his ear, telling him that he'd only ever bring the people he loved pain. Telling him that Katsumi had been looking for him, and now knew exactly where her run away pet had gone. He felt hysteria begin creeping up his spine again.

Then he felt the brush of something warm against his side and cut his eyes over to the sensation, meeting the bleary ones of his partner. Moeru had a fresh, gruesome scar cut above his left eye, the fur around it low and growing. He limped as he settled himself down next to the hanyou pup, unable to completely muffle his wince as he curled his two tails around himself. But there was no accusation in Moeru's eyes as he gave Toshiro a once over, only a crushing relief that echoed the sound of the miko's sobs.

 _You're okay._ The saber's eyes said to the boy. _We're okay._

"I-I'm sorry." Toshiro managed to whisper to them both.

His fault. His fault. His fault.

Moeru only rubbed against his partner again in comfort as if the youkai heard Toshiro's self loathing thoughts, his warmth a steady, unmovable rock.

It took a while before the miko composed herself, before Kagome dragged a hand across her face and the despair in her eyes slowly bled away.

Only for Toshiro to witness a fire begin to flicker there that put his own to shame.

"What were you thinking Toshiro?" She bit at him.

The hanyou blinked, startled.

"Do you have _any_ idea how worried your father and I have been?" She shot to her feet, pacing back and forth in front of the boy and his saber kitten. Both of whom watched her with wide eyes. "You're _so_ grounded. Do you know how _scared_ we were?"

Toshiro swallowed back the pain and croaked, "I . . . I'm sorry Okaasan."

"Sorry?!" She whirled on him, her hair wild and her eyes stern. "You were told to _stay_ at Kaede's! I ought to scruff you into next week!"

The pup lowered his ears in immediate submission and shock. Kagome _never_ yelled at him. Inuyasha was always the one who-

Kagome collapsed to her knees in front of him, her face hard and deadly serious even as she cried.

"Don't you _ever_ put yourself in that kind of danger without your family again, do you understand me?"

"Y-yes ma'am."

"I mean it, young man." Toshiro was poked soundly on the nose. Twice. "If you ever scare me like that again I'll . . . I'll ground you for more than just a week."

Despite the moisture in his eyes, the pup's ears twitched.

He found the bravery to whisper, "G-ground?"

Was she going to bury him in the forest?

Kagome blinked at him once before a startled laugh came out of her. Some tension eased from her face.

Toshiro winced again in confusion, still a bit weary after being plucked.

But his mother's face had softened.

"It's a form of punishment, Toshi." She said, running a hand over his bandaged head in exasperated affection. He felt the strain around his heart loosen a bit at the loving touch. "One in which a parent takes things you like away from you for a time, to teach you a lesson."

His eyes widened further despite himself. He forced himself to swallow this time though it still hurt. "S-so you're taking-?"

"Your picture books." Came his father's voice from the doorway. Inuyasha leaned against the frame, the light from the main room casting him in shadow. "And your colored pencils and paints, and your stash of chocolate that you keep burrowed under your bed that you think we don't know about."

The hanyou pup had the energy to look sheepish.

Inuyasha stalked into the room, plopping down beside his intended mate with a huff. He scooped up Moeru without a look at his son, turning the grumpling cat to face him and check his scarring face. Though the saber tooth had bandages wrapped around his middle and legs, the gash on his forehead seemed to be the worst of his injuries. The older hanyou pulled a small tin from his haori, and from it rubbed a thick, strong smelling salve onto the wound.

Moeru growled louder as he dangled from the male's hand, but didn't try to bite as Toshiro expected him to.

"You're not to leave this village for the duration of your punishment." Inuyasha said in a low, serious voice Toshiro rarely heard. "You're not to play with your brother, or Moeru, or the other sabers. You're to do your writing, and reading, and training, and help Miroku and Sango with chores while the lech heals from his burns."

Toshiro nodded once as shame burned along with the pain in his throat.

He watched his father work in silence, watched as his mother sagged onto her bottom in exhaustion, and was about to apologize again for his disobedience when another figure cast a shadow over the dim room.

"Otou." Came a low voice. "This was left at our door."

The kitsune padded into the room on silent paws, his eyes downcast and his shoulders stiff, his tail dragging behind him. In his arms he carried a wrapped parcel, one that he placed in Inuyasha's lap after the hanyou put Moeru carefully back at his partner's side.

Toshiro placed a steadying hand on the saber's back, and tried to catch Shippou's eyes as the boy settled onto the floor beside their parents. But he failed as his brother intentionally cast his eyes aside, his nose scrunched and his lips a thin line. The face that had been so warm, so understanding, for the months that Toshiro had known him was closed off, cold in a way that shot a new wave of fear through the hanyou pup's blood.

"What is it?" Kagome was asking, peering over Inuyasha's shoulder.

Toshiro pulled reluctant honey eyes away from his scowling brother as Inuyasha took a sniff at the package. The male scoffed as he worked to unknot the brown cloth concealing the items within. "It's from my brother."

Four pairs of eyes turned to him as he pulled out, and held up, a deep blue haori. Pooled in his lap sat a matching hakama, and an undershirt of dark gray. As Inuyasha pulled out the pants, a folded piece of parchment fluttered to the ground between them.

Moeru pawed at it curiously.

Kagome flicked his little ear to ward him off, and picked it up to read the elegant script scrawled there aloud.

"These garments are made of the hide of an Ikuchi youkai. They will assist the boy in controlling his flames."

"Shit." Inuyasha murmured. At his family's confused looks he elaborated. "An Ikuchi is an extremely rare youkai, are damn near myths. They're called the spirits of the sea, and are practically impossible to kill."

Toshiro fingered the thick haori now in his lap, marveled at the soft material, and at the dai youkai who'd gifted the clothes to him.

"But why would Sesshomaru go so out of his way for Toshiro?" Kagome voiced what they all were thinking.

Four eyes turned on the hanyou pup this time.

Toshiro noted that Shippou's were cold and hard like jewels, and tried not to shrink away from his stare. They all looked at him warily, with a suspicion that made the boy's stomach turn. And he decided . . . that it was time he told the truth. He found himself afraid of the words, afraid that they'd finally shun him and bar him from their homes, but he found the will to speak around his smarting throat regardless.

"I am . . . I am the ward of the Lady of the Southern inu youkai." He swallowed back his pain, and watched as confusion dawned on their faces.

"I heard she was a recluse." Kagome said warily.

Inuyasha snorted. "I heard she was a fucking nutcase."

Shippou said nothing. Toshiro's ears flicked. "She is my aunt. My-my biological mother was Lady of the Southern Lands before her, and upon her death my aunt took up her mantel. Katsumi . . . despises me. Has always despised hanyous, and those who sympathise with creatures like me. She . . . raised me," Tears slid down his cheeks at the loose term, at the memories that haunted him. "At the castle, kept me as a play thing and taught me for years that that was all I was good for. And I believed her, until I met Lord Sesshomaru. Until I met you all.

"He saved me. He knew my mother, and allowed me a chance at escape from the horrors I lived through my whole life. He saved me again the day we rushed the hyena den. If it weren't for him I'd be dead two times over."

There was a silence, a deafening silence. Before Toshiro could beg them not to throw him out into the snow, Inuyasha spoke up carefully.

"Who was the male you were fighting in the forest the other day?" His voice was dangerously soft.

"O-orochi." Even saying his name caused fear to skitter down his spine. He was sure they noticed. "My aunt's most trusted advisor and sentinel. He . . . he personally gave me quite a few of the scars on my body. Katsumi herself scarred my ear."

He reached up to touch the sensitive, bandaged appendage as he spoke.

Miko's aura cracked once, violently, through the air. Toshiro cast his eyes down at the clothes in his lap as he bared his soul. "I was kept in a small room connected to my aunt's chambers. Only those she trusted were allowed access to them, the only ones in my land who knew where she kept me locked away. The only ones allowed to . . . hurt me as they wished."

"So how did Sesshomaru get you out?" Inuyasha whispered.

Toshiro blushed despite himself.

"He showed up at the door to the room, smelling . . . strongly of her. When I snuck through my aunt's bedroom she was asleep, and all of the guards at her door unconscious. He told me only in which direction to run once I was free of the castle, and left it up to me to find my way out and away."

He coughed, the action causing him gasping, blinding pain. Kagome was instantly there, rubbing warm, soothing circles on his back. When he finally caught his breath, he looked up to meet the blazing green eyes of the kitsune. His brother had not said a word to him upon entering, that is until-

"Kaede said your vocal cords are bruised." Shippou said so coldly that Inuyasha blinked at him. "You should refrain from speaking."

And then the kit got up and walked out of the room without a second glance, paying no heed to their mother's confused call for him.

 _To me . . ._ were the unfinished words Toshiro saw in his brother's eyes, and then wondered if he would ever be allowed to call the other boy that again.

 **A/N: Hello, my loves. It's been a while! I hope you liked this chapter! Also, I am eventually going to go back and edit this ENTIRE story, as I cringe a bit at my grammar and the like when I look back to the beginning of it. Worry not, nothing of importance will change, but I will be going back altering just a smidgen before I post the next chapter.**

 **Until Next Time!**


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